A month after missing his first cut in 38 majors as a professional, Tiger Woods was back where he belongs in the Open championship having opened up a three shot lead.

And the defending champion did it in style, holing a four-iron for eagle on the 14th.

Woods equalled the course record of 65 set 40 minutes earlier by compatriot Chris DiMarco for a 12-under-par halfway total of 132.

"I made a few bombs and obviously 14 helped a lot," said Woods. "It's a hole where you're just trying to make four and get out of there and to make two was just a bonus.

"Trust me I was just trying to get the ball on the hole and take my four."

Asked if he will change his measured approach over the weekend, Woods added: "I just play the course for what it gives me.

"The way I play is what the course allows me to. We will see what tomorrow's wind does."

DiMarco held outright second on nine under with South African Retief Goosen a shot behind in third after a 66, with Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez and Australian Adam Scott a stroke further back.

Overnight leader Graeme McDowell was five under after a 73 which could have been considerably worse.

The 26-year-old Ulsterman was a few feet away from driving out of bounds on the 18th, and then failed to move his ball more than a few inches from heavy rough with his second shot.

His third also bounced off the grass bank which separates the fairway from the out of bounds and in the end did well to hole from 10ft for a bogey six.

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