Tiger Woods put his name on the top of leaderboard again, to the delight of the big galleries at the PGA Tour event in Florida.
He made four birdies, got a few good bounces and kept a clean card on the Copperhead course at Innisbrook until the last hole for a three-under 68.
He is among the clubhouse leaders, three shots behind Corey Conners as the Canadian enters his back nine on day two at seven under.
Paul Casey and Brandt Snedeker also had 68s, while Ryan Palmer had a 66 to join Woods at four under.
"I don't think this will be leading, but at least I'm there with a chance going into the weekend," Woods said.
"Today was a good day."
Adam Scott is even par at the mid-way point of his second round to be one under and tied for 20th while fellow Australians compatriots Cameron Smith and Rod Pampling both carded round of 72 to be one over.
Aaron Baddeley is three over after 10 holes on Friday while Greg Chalmers (72 - six over) and Geoff Ogilvy (73 - seven over) won't be around for the weekend action.
Masters champion Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy were among those playing in the afternoon.
Woods took the lead with a birdie on his 14th hole, the par-5 fifth.
He gained even more momentum with a 12-foot par putt from the collar of the fringe at the seventh and was heading toward a bogey-free round until his wedge on the par-5 ninth rode the shifting wind to the right and into the gallery, his ball on a woman's bag.
He could not get up and down for par but didn't seem all that bothered.
Five months ago, Woods didn't have the clearance to begin hitting full shots.
In his fourth PGA Tour event in seven weeks, he looks like a contender.
"I've come a long way in that span of time," Woods said.
Woods's charge has given the crowds in Tampa much to cheer about.
"The roars are a little louder, and there's certainly an energy about the gallery that you don't have anywhere else," Woods's playing partner Jordan Spieth said.
Spieth missed the cut for the second time this year, after a second round 71.
Henrik Stenson, the other major champion in the playing group, had another 74 and missed the cut.
Woods never really saw his name on the board but he could sense from the crowd that everything was going his way.
"To play myself into contention this early into it was nice..." he said.
"I feel comfortable out there."
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