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131 Shingo Katayama, David Toms
132 Phil Mickelson, Bob Estes
134 Kyoung-Ju Choi, Jim Furyk, Dudley Hart, Ernie Els, David Duval, Steve Lowery
Woods had seemingly lost his way at the 13th to fall 11 shots adrift of the leaders.
But he recovered superbly, clawing his way back to safety by sinking a 50-foot putt for a birdie two at 15 and then landing an equally impressive 35-foot effort for a three at 16.
"Lady Luck hopped on my side," said Woods. "I hit the putt on 15 too hard and was thinking 'don't go in the water.'
Toms has a share of the lead
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"I have always believed that you have to give it everything you have. I didn't hit it great, but I hung in there and got those two birdies.
"This was harder than trying to win. Without a doubt I still think I can win - low rounds can be had out there."
At the start of the day Katayama added a 64 to his first-day 67 to move ahead of another early starter, Phil Mickelson.
But late in the afternoon David Toms, a US Ryder Cup team hopeful, joined Katayama on nine-under, as he posted four birdies before the turn for a 65.
Mickelson, the world number two, followed his first-day 66 with five birdies and one bogey for an identical score on Friday to reach 132 after two rounds.
He was later joined at eight-under by Bob Estes.
Open champion David Duval had a rollercoaster round but remains in contention, just three shots off the lead, after a 68.
Ernie Els is also well placed at six-under after a second successive 67, alongside Jim Furyk, who matched Katayama's 64.
Katayama hit five birdies coming home for a 64
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But even they were upstaged by Furyk's playing partner Mark O'Meara, who broke the course record with a superb 63 to reach five-under.
O'Meara, the 1998 Masters and Open champion, did not drop a shot and hit seven birdies.
The best placed European was Niclas Fasth, who continued the excellent form that has seen him claim a place in the European Ryder Cup team.
The Open runner-up is five-under par, four shots off the pace, after a 69.
Less happy was overnight leader Grant Waite, who dropped three shots in the morning to slip back to three-under-par as the big guns marched remorselessly past him.
With the New Zealander faltering, it was left to Katayama and Mickelson to take control at the start of the second round.
That's possibly my most courageous nine holes of the year and I don't think I'm too far back to win
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Colin Montgomerie
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But
It was a great improvement on recent Major performances for Katayama.
The stetson-wearing Japanese player missed the cut in both the US Open and Open championships this summer and also failed to last more than two rounds on his USPGA debut last year.
Mickelson went round in 66, as in the first round
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Nick Faldo just made the cut after a disastrous seven at the 18th ruined all his good work of the first two rounds.
The English veteran, who had turned on the style with a 67 in the first round, was well placed at two-under as he headed up the last - but the triple-bogey saw him slump to one-over.
Scotland's Andrew Coltart returned to the clubhouse with a two-over-par round of 72, leaving him on 139, eight strokes off the lead.
Fellow Scot Colin Montgomerie recovered very well to finish one-under for the day and with a level-par 140 for two rounds after three bogies had put him on four-over.
Lee Westwood enjoyed a much better second round, hitting a 68 to finish on 139.
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