He might have expected to drop further behind than was the case, however.

Australians Adam Scott and Jason Day, who kicked off with superb rounds of 62 and 63, both shot 70.

Scott is now part of a four-way tie for the halfway lead with Americans Rickie Fowler, Ryan Moore and PGA Tour rookie Keegan Bradley, playing the first World Golf Championship of his career.

Scot Martin Laird is just one behind with Day and Swede Robert Karlsson, but it was an afternoon of real frustration for Lee Westwood.

England’s world number two threatened to be the story of the day when he moved from three under to six under, but he then covered the last six in four over and was slinging clubs back to his bag by the close.

In contrast, Rory McIlroy came home in 33 to climb to four under with another 68 and world number one Luke Donald’s 69 put him one further back.

“I didn’t putt as well as I did yesterday and consequently I just never got the round going,” said Woods, also still struggling to control the extra distance he finds himself hitting the ball on his return to competitive action.

“It’s just as hot at home, if not hotter. The ball should be flying about the same, but it’s not – I’m swinging better, so I’ve got to get used to new numbers.

“I know my stats don’t show it, but just the way I’m driving the golf ball, the start lines are so much tighter and the shape of the shots are so much tighter.

“I’m so close to putting the ball on a string, so it’s coming.”

Laird produced the sort of finish that Woods would love to have had.

The 28-year-old newlywed – he was married last Saturday in Colorado – birdied the final three holes to add a 67 to his opening 66.

Laird said: “I came into this week feeling fresh and on a high. Sometimes and it’s amazing when you have no expectations how well you’ll play.”

Woods, who missed the US Open and The Open because of knee and Achilles tendon problems, increased his birdie count from three to four.

But the number of errors went up significantly. After bogeying the 467-yard 14th for the second day running – this time it was his fifth hole of the round - he immediately dropped another shot.

The former world number one did come straight back with two birdies, but as well as making two twos on the front nine he also bogeyed the fourth and then double-bogeyed the 469-yard sixth, going from rough to a greenside bunker and taking four more to get down.

The seven-time winner of the title still had a better day than Open champion Darren Clarke again, however.

Clarke was left propping up the 76-man field on 11 over after improving only three on his initial 77.

Sunday’s Irish Open winner Simon Dyson had been joint last with the Ulsterman overnight, but restored his confidence with a fine 66.

Laird, winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March, had mixed three birdies with three bogeys as he came to the long 16th, but struck an 83-yard pitch to four feet there and closed with putts of seven and 15 feet.

Round of the day came from 22-year-old Fowler, a 64 containing an eagle two - he sank his 109-yard pitch to the third – eight birdies and four bogeys, including one at his final hole.

Ian Poulter’s 69 for level par was a real mixed bag. After four birdies and three bogeys in the first 15 he ran up a seven on the long 16th, but birdied the last two.

That put him one ahead of playing partners Padraig Harrington and Justin Rose, both round in 70, while Graeme McDowell (72) was three over and Paul Casey (71) four over.

No question what is his least favourite hole so far. After double-bogeying the ninth on day one he had a triple-bogey seven there on his return.

Because of the threat of thunderstorms the decision has already been taken to bring forward the third round tee-off times on Saturday.

The first start time was 7am local time (noon Irish time) with the leaders – in threes rather than twos – out at 9am.