Woods cranks up the pressure on struggling Singh

Vijay Singh last night stepped up his bid to top the money list in the second round of the US Tour Championship here.

Singh struggled to an opening two-over-par 73 at the Champions Golf Club on Thursday, six shots off the pace set by Charles Howell and Kenny Perry.

More significantly however, he was three shots behind Tiger Woods, the only man who can stop him finishing top of the money list for the first time.

Woods needs to win the event to overtake Singh, but the Fijian would still come out on top if he finishes in a tie for third or better. And the former US Masters champion was moving in the right direction in the early stages of his second round yesterday.

A superb approach to four feet on the fourth set up his first birdie of the day and only his second in total, and another promptly followed on the par five next after he comfortably reached the green in two.

That took Singh back to level par for the tournament, just one shot behind Woods who opened with three pars.

Darren Clarke had also birdied the fifth to improve to two over par, but the Ulsterman still languished in 26th place in the 31-man field.

Singh was demonstrating the kind of form which has seen him finish in the top 10 in 10 of his last 11 events, a third birdie coming from close range after a superb tee-shot on the par-three eighth.

That briefly took him alongside Woods on one under par before the world No 1 birdied the fifth to edge ahead.

At two under, he was only two off the lead as leaders Howell and Perry began their second rounds.