By Rory Carroll
SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - Ryan Palmer's birdie blitz vaulted him into a two-stroke lead while Tiger Woods recovered from a terrible start in the second round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines on Friday.
The sizzling Palmer had 11 birdies with his only blemish being a bogey on his final hole to shoot a 10-under par 62 on a sunny day at the ocean side course.
After shooting an even opening round, the 43-year-old came alive on the North Course to sit on 134 at the halfway point.
"The way I'm driving the ball right now gives a lot of confidence for the weekend," said Palmer, who is looking to secure his fifth career PGA Tour victory.
"It's awesome to shoot a low round like that but it's always tough to follow it up. But it's exciting and I love where my game is at."
Palmer leads fellow American Brandt Snedeker, who is eight-under after two rounds.
Woods had a terrible start with a double bogey on the par-four first on the tougher South Course due to some uncharacteristically careless putting.
The 44-year-old American grimaced and uttered an expletive under his breath after a rare four putt left him with an early deficit.
But the 15-time major champion, gunning for a record-breaking 83rd PGA Tour victory this week, then settled down, mixing five birdies with two bogeys the rest of the way to sit six strokes off the lead heading into the weekend.