Woods used the driver only once in his second round -- and that backfired when he sent the ball off line on the 17th -- as he tried to remain in control of spiteful Carnoustie with a variety of manufactured shots.

He carded four birdies and five bogeys -- including a three-putt on the 18th -- and said he was very happy with his day's work.

"I played solid. I hit good shots, even on the bogeys," said Woods, only three behind leader Jean Van de Velde of France. "You're gong to hit good shots and end up in bad places, but you get breaks as well. That's the beauty of links golf."

Woods, who has tried to steer clear of criticizing the course, could not hold back entirely after seeing several good tee shots harshly punished.

"I think it's set up so if it's a calm day it would be a good test. But it's not calm and so it's getting to the point where good shots are ending up in rough," he said. "A good shot is borderline now. You have got to hit great shots."

But Woods said that despite his California upbringing, he relishes playing in inclement weather.

"I've always enjoyed playing in terrible conditions, rain, wind," he said. "We didn't have too many days like this, so any time it was bad I would be out there on the golf course playing.

"I enjoy playing in terrible conditions because you have to be more creative. You have to use your repertoire of shots and trust your instincts. You've got to be inventive, you've got to shape your shots so that even when you're hitting the fairways it rolls the right way."

At 4-over, Woods considered himself well-placed in a tournament where the cut is being predicted at 12-over.