SHANGHAI --- Tiger Woods realized that no one was pulling away at the HSBC Champions on Friday, so he settled into a good groove with the putter and made sure he caught them.
Woods birdied five of his last 10 holes for his second consecutive 5-under-par 67, giving him a share of the 36-hole lead with Nick Watney in the final World Golf Championship of the year that continues to have a distinct American look.
Seven of the top nine players on the leaderboard are from the United States, and the possibility of another No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown looms with Phil Mickelson making three birdies over the last four holes for 66 to finish one shot behind the co-leaders.
Woods has been runner-up twice at the HSBC Champions, and he put himself in contention again at Sheshan International. After consecutive holes failing to make birdie with a wedge in his hand, he knocked in a 10-foot birdie on the ninth and was on his way.
"I certainly had some looks and didn't really capitalize on anything," Woods said. "Made a putt on 9 and from then on, I hit a lot of good putts and basically played the last 10 holes at 5-under."
He reached the par-5 18th in two for one last birdie to catch Watney (70) at 10-under 134.
They were one shot clear of Mickelson, Ryan Moore (69) and Alvaro Quiros, of Spain, who chose to lay up on the 18th instead of hitting 4-iron to the green because the putting surfaces were firm and quick. He had to settle for a par and 66.
Another shot behind was Anthony Kim, who made eagle on the 18th for 69.
Pat Perez made a bogey on his final hole for 69 that put him at 7-under 137.
Brian Gay, the former Louisville, Ga., resident, had his second consecutive 69 and is at 138, or four behind the co-leaders.
Former Augusta State golfer Oliver Wilson is tied for 31st place at 71-72--143.
Perez said he is working on some swing adjustments and not really paying attention to his score, so while he is in contention for the first time in a World Golf Championship, he is not particularly sure how he got there.
At least he might get a few more fans today.
"It felt like Sunday afternoon on the wrong side of the course," he said. "We had like two people following us. It's an awesome tournament, but we had no atmosphere. It made me realize I'm actually a nobody. I thought I was decently somebody, but this confirms it. In worldwide golf, I'm a nobody."
Still laughing, Perez stated the obvious. Most of the fans were following three groups, the bulk of them with Woods.
They lined the entire side of the fairway on the 603-yard eighth hole, although most of the cheers were for Thongchai Jaidee, of Thailand, as he opened with three birdies over the first seven holes.
LPGA TOUR: In Shima, Japan, Brittany Lang shot 6-under-par 66 to take a one-stroke lead over Japan's Nobuko Kizawa and South Korea's Hee Young Park after the first round of the Mizuno Classic.
"I've had a very good year," Lang said. "I've played a lot of really good golf. I always play well this time of the year for some reason, so I just try to practice and have some fun."
Lang, the long-hitting former Duke star who is winless in four seasons on the LPGA Tour, reached 7-under at Kintetsu Kashikojima with an eagle on the par-5 seventh, but bogeyed the eighth and finished the round with a par.
Vicky Hurst, 2007 winner Momoko Ueda, Bo Bae Song and Mi-Jeong Jeon opened with 68s, and defending champion Jiyai Shin and Ai Miyazato had 69s.
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Woods continues to keep the bar set high. He's good for golf world wide.