THOUSAND OAKS (California) - TIGER Woods, overwhelming favourite to clinch his eighth victory of the year, had his overnight lead trimmed to two shots midway through Sunday's final round at the Target World Challenge.

The world number one offset two early birdies with bogeys at the seventh and ninth to reach the turn in level-par 36.

That left the stumbling Woods at 18 under overall with playing partner Jim Furyk hot on his heels after an outward nine featuring five birdies and a solitary bogey.

Woods, hunting his fourth success in the elite 16-man tournament which he hosts, appeared to have the title firmly in grasp after making a confident start in glorious winter sunshine.

Six strokes in front overnight, the 13-times major winner briefly stretched his lead to seven after the first two holes.

A pinpoint approach to five feet set up a birdie for Woods at the par-four first before he benefited from a Furyk bogey at the par-five second.

Superb recovery

Furyk had also birdied the opening hole after hitting a superb recovery from the left rough to two feet but then faltered after finding water in front of the second green with his second shot.

World number three Furyk trimmed the deficit to six when he rolled in a 10-footer to birdie the fourth and both players then birdied the uphill par-five fifth.

Woods lipped out with a birdie attempt from 18 feet at the par-four sixth before making his first error of the day with a three-putt bogey at the ninth, missing his second putt from three feet.

Furyk, meanwhile, piled on the pressure with consecutive birdie putts from 10 feet at the seventh and eighth.

Woods again stumbled at the par-four ninth, finding a bunker with his approach and missing a 15-foot par putt to give Furyk unexpected hope going into the back nine.

Although shaky over his previous three holes, Woods has triumphed 41 times out of 44 when holding at least a share of the lead going into the final round of a PGA Tour event. -- REUTERS

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