Tiger Woods British Open: What Tiger Must Do to Keep Success Going This Weekend

Tiger Woods is in excellent position to win the 2012 British Open, but must stay focused and avoid mistakes heading into the weekend.

Woods shot a 67 in both of the first two rounds for a score of six-under par. 

He sits alone in third place behind Bradnt Snedeker (10-under) and Adam Scott (nine-under). 

Now that the tournament is past the halfway mark, Woods must sharpen his game and make a final push to win his first major since the 2008 U.S. Open. Here is what he must do to earn a victory.

Avoid Bunkers 

This is the single most difficult task at Royal Lytham and St. Annes. The course has a daunting 205 bunkers, as noted by ESPN’s Scott T. Miller.

The sand traps make for a hazardous route to the green on every hole and if Woods hopes to continue his good fortunes, he must keep his ball away from these obstacles.

He was able to conquer a bunker on the side of the green on the 18^th hole, but even for Woods, this was an incredible shot.

In order to maintain pace with the other leaders, Woods must stay disciplined. Accuracy and patience will be of paramount importance the rest of the way at the Open Championship. 

Put the U.S. Open in the Past 

Woods was tied for the lead heading into the weekend last month at the U.S. Open, but then put on a disappointing performance in the third round.

He had four bogeys and one double-bogey in the first six holes during Day 3 in San Francisco and never recovered from this lapse. He ended the tournament tied for 21st place.

While the course in Lancashire is not as difficult as it was in California, the competition is just as fierce.

If Woods suffers another break in concentration that leads to a few bad holes, he will not be able to keep up with Scott and Snedeker, who are both playing extremely well.

Stay the Course 

Any criticism of Woods’ play at this point is simply nitpicking. 

He has only bogeyed two holes and played consistently through all 36 holes. As Steve DiMeglio of USA Today notes, Woods his 13 greens and 15 fairways in Round 1.

His tournament has been characterized by discipline and focus with a flash of brilliance. This is how the second half of the Open Championship must go in order for Woods to win.

He will need to keep hitting his fairways and greens, and if he gets into a jam like the one of the 18^th hole, he’ll need to pull out a little magic to show that he is still the best golfer in the world.