PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (Reuters) - A battling Tiger Woods rediscovered some of the old magic at the British Open on Friday but the American will be packing for home after failing to make the cut at Royal Portrush.
The 15-times major champion carded a one-under 70 but it failed to repair the damage of Thursday when he struggled with back pain and shot an ugly 78.
Woods, who won the last of his three British Opens in 2006, made four birdies in his first 11 holes and looked to be in with a shout of surviving until the weekend.
He birdied the first and the smile returned as he rolled in another at the sixth. A bogey at the seventh halted his momentum but he birdied 10 and 11 to get the fans roaring.
It was always a long shot though, with the cut expected to be at around one over, and as the rain closed in so Woods' hopes vanished with bogeys at the 17th and 18th.
Great rival Phil Mickelson is also in danger of missing the cut and if he does it would be the first time in the 83 majors in which they have both competed that both missed the weekend.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Davis)