Arnold Palmer Invitational 2012: Tiger Woods Is in the Lead

You knew it was going to happen.  It was just a question of when.

Tiger Woods made a birdie on the par-three 17th hole at the Arnold Palmer Invitational to take the lead after two rounds in a tournament that he has already won six times.  The mid-range birdie putt, a 14.5-footer, ran right into the hole. 

“I’ve had a few places where I’ve had a pretty good record at and fortunately, this is one of them,” he said after the second round.

It could have been one shot lower.  At the 18th, Woods' putt caught a piece of the edge after hitting two spike marks that knocked it off line.  The result was a par, not another birdie.

“It was dead center, too,” Woods added.

Nevertheless, as he walked off the 18th green, Woods’ million-dollar smile returned.  The earth righted itself in orbit and the long winter of golf without Tiger Woods atop a leaderboard seemed over.

Whether it is or not, we will find out in the next two days in the friendly former hometown atmosphere of Orlando, a place where Woods still receives more cheers than jeers.  Meantime, other competitors better get used to the firestorm that is Tiger Woods leading a tournament.

As is usual with Woods, post-round talk was mainly work related.  His shot pattern has become tighter.  His main miss now is long because of his swing modifications.

“One of the harder adjustments I’ve had to make with Joey (LaCava, his caddie) out there on the golf course is I’m not used to hitting the ball that far,” Woods said.  “That’s a nice thing to have, but also then again, I have to make that adjustment.”

He said the majority of his misses this season have been long.

“Anything from a hundred yards and down, I feel pretty good about that.  It’s the stuff longer than that that I feel slightly uncomfortable with, just because my wedge is going almost a club further."

Most Tour players, he noted, hit a wedge 145 to 150 yards.

“Say if I want to take something off a wedge and hit it 130,” he began, “I make that 130 swing of the old days, what I feel like is 130 is going 138.  It’s just not quite there because I’m flushing the ball.”

In the past, with Woods on top, it has been a near lock for him to win.  But even he reminded people that there are two rounds left.

“We’ve still got a long way to go,” he said.  “Still need to continue doing what I’m doing out there, just kind of plodding my way along.”  

Perhaps to a seventh title at Bay Hill.

Kathy Bissell is a Golf Writer for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand or from official interview materials from the USGA, PGA Tour or PGA of America.