Tiger Woods slumps as Retief Goosen leads in Ohio

World Golf Championship, Akron, Ohio
Dates: 5-8 August Venue: Firestone Country Club Coverage: Leaderboard on BBC website, live on Sky Sports FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD:-7 R Goosen (SA) -6 P Mickelson (US), J Leonard (US) -5 P Hanson (Swe), B Van Pelt (US), B Watson (US) Selected others: -4 P Casey (Eng), -3 R Mcllroy (NI) -2 O Wilson (Eng), R Fisher (Eng) -1 L Donald (Eng), P Harrington (Ire), G McDowell (NI) +1 J Rose (Eng) +2 I Poulter (Eng) +6 T Woods (US)

More misery day for Woods with only five players below him on the leaderboard

Tiger Woods continued to struggle at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational with a round of 72 to end day two on six over, 13 shots behind leader Retief Goosen.

South African Goosen fired a four-under 66 to lead American duo Justin Leonard and Phil Mickelson by a single shot.

Mickelson will replace Woods as world number one with a win or top-four spot or if Woods finishes out of the top 37.

England's Lee Westwood was also in the hunt for the top of the rankings, but withdrew on Friday with a calf injury.

Westwood, runner-up in two majors in 2010, would have secured top status with victory in Ohio and Woods finishing outside the top two.

However, after the current number one followed up his opening round of 74 - his worst ever round at Firestone Country Club - by matching his second-worst round, a 72, Mickelson will now be favourite for the world's top ranking.

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Woods, a 14-time major winner and seeking a record eighth win in Ohio, hit only three of 14 fairways in his second round and sits tied in 72nd position having carded five bogeys and three birdies.

With just over a week remaining until the eight automatic qualifiers are finalised for the US Ryder Cup side, these are testing times for the man who has been ranked number one for 249 weeks.

"Of late I've been driving the ball so much better," was all he said before leaving the course quickly on Friday evening.

Two-time US Open champion Goosen followed up his opening 67 with a 66 that included six birdies and two bogeys which puts him in a strong position to push for his first PGA Tour victory of the year.

"I'm happy with the round," the 41-year-old Goosen said after missing only three fairways off the tee.

"I've not done so well around this course in the past, so it's nice to play well for two rounds and see how I can do on the weekend."

Mickelson overcame a double-bogey at the 14th to bag a pair of birdies in the last four holes, while first-round leader Bubba Watson carded a 71 to sit two strokes off the pace at five under, level with compatriot Bo Van Pelt (68) and Swede Peter Hanson (66).

Australian Adam Scott (70), Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez (67) and Britain's Paul Casey (68) were all close behind at four under.

The field in the event, which has no halfway cut, includes the top 50 players in the world.