Woods seven off Bay Hill lead after level-par second round

Though he responded after a disappointing start to round two at Bay Hill, Tiger Woods goes into the weekend seven shots off the lead.

Tiger Woods survived a sluggish start at the Arnold Palmer Invitational to shoot a level-par second round of 72 but finished Friday seven shots off the pace. 

Woods opened his round with a two-over 38 on the front nine, but went down the back nine in 34 to remain four under going into the weekend, in a share of 17th place.

Bogeys at the first and the ninth were Woods' sole blemishes, his second bogey snapping a streak of four straight rounds with no more than one bogey or worse.

Woods gained a shot back at the 12th, and his gritty round featured a number of impressive par saves, including a remarkable one at 15 as he hit a 48-foot bunker shot and then sank the subsequent putt.

An excellent attempt at an eagle putt at 16 drifted narrowly to the right, leaving him an easy tap-in for birdie, and he would have finished the round with a 71 had his birdie putt at the last not lipped out.

Woods, an eight-time winner at Bay Hill Golf Course, has finished in the top 25 in three of his first four starts this year, including a runner-up finish last week at the Valspar Championship.

Henrik Stenson and Bryson DeChambeau are tied for the lead at 11 under. Talor Gooch is two shots back at nine under.