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CHARLOTTE, US - Tiger Woods faltered at the finish, as Retief Goosen and Bubba Watson seized the second-round lead in the 6.4 million-US dollar Quail Hollow Championship.
South Africa's Goosen, a two-time US Open champion, posted his second straight 68 to grab a share of the lead on eight-under 136.
Watson fired a seven-under 65 to jump to the top, while overnight leader Woods bogeyed two of Quail Hollow's tough three finishing holes to settle for a 72 that left him one adrift.
Watson, who has never won a tournament, will no doubt be glad to be spared a pairing with Woods on Saturday.
"It's just because I play golf because I love the golf courses, I love to play, and now I've got all these strangers staring at me," said Watson, whose round included eight birdies and an eagle. "I get nervous around people."
Woods had taken control with a 55-foot birdie at the ninth, and held a two shot lead through most of the back nine.
Woods, just off the par-five 15th in two, his eagle chip was off and he missed a five-footer for birdie.
At 16 he hit his tee shot into the trees en route to a bogey, and he dropped a shot at 18 when he landed his approach on the back of the green 90 feet from the pin.
"I didn't drive the ball particularly well today, didn't hit my irons as well as I'd like," Woods said. "I was hanging in there. If I could have posted nine (-under), I would have probably gotten the most out of that round I could have. It just didn't work out that way."
Goosen holed a 20-foot birdie putt on his final hole to capture his share of the lead.
Just two shots separated 10 players heading into the weekend.
Former Masters champion Zach Johnson, one of eight players who had at least a share of the lead at one point, was the only player to reach 10-under par until he bogeyed the last three holes for a 67 and joined the group at seven-under 137 that included Woods, Jim Furyk (66) and George McNeill (68).
Phil Mickelson was a further shot back after a 71 that included a four-putt double-bogey on 17.
"My round was a bit more exciting than I wanted it to be," Mickelson said.
Mickelson will play with Colombian Camilo Villegas, who had a 67. --AFP
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