Tiger Woods took a huge step towards an incredible 14th WGC win from just 26 starts in Miami today. Trailing Henrik Stenson and Robert Allenby by four after his opening 71, the defending champion charged into the halfway lead with a superb six-under-par 66 in the CA Championship over Doral's Blue Monster course.

And with Swede Stenson having four bogeys in the last seven holes and Allenby dropping back even further, Woods ended the day two ahead of another Australian, Rod Pampling.

The world number one was not even stopped in his tracks by a late downpour. He birdied the 17th and escaped with a par on the fearsome 467-yard last by holing an 11-foot putt.

"I struck the ball well," he said. "You have to work the ball both ways. Everything is tested and that's the most wonderful thing about it. You have to hit all the shots."

Pampling, who holed his approach to the 442-yard sixth for an eagle two, scored 69 to leave Stenson (73) sharing third place with a group that included Thomas Bjorn, Ernie Els and Trevor Immelman, who was the only player other than Woods not to drop a shot in more windy conditions.

"It was a tough day," said Stenson, trying for a second World Championship victory of the season and a third win in four starts. "The key is hitting the fairways and I didn't. That was the difference between yesterday and today.

"But we're only halfway. I've got to post two good rounds if I want to be up there. It's nicer finishing with birdies, but life goes on."

Sergio Garcia, without a win for 18 months now, twice got to five under, but completely took the gloss off his day's work by driving into the lake on the last for a double-bogey six.

It left the Spaniard three under and alongside Ian Poulter, whose 68 continued his affection for the event. Last September he was runner-up to Woods at The Grove near Watford — albeit eight behind.

Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald both scored 70 to be one under and level par respectively.