ATLANTA (Reuters) – Tiger Woods, who has made a habit of producing the remarkable, took control of the Tour Championship yesterday with a sizzling run of five birdies and an eagle in the second round.

Although the world number one lost momentum with two bogeys after the turn, he rolled in a 17-footer to birdie the par-three last for a seven-under 63.

Woods ended a damp day at East Lake Golf Club three ahead of the field, breaking the tournament record by three shots with a 13-under total of 127.

Fellow American Woody Austin was alone in second place after shooting a 65, finishing one ahead of compatriot Mark Calcavecchia (66), South African Tim Clark (69) and title-holder Adam Scott of Australia (66).

Woods, two strokes off the pace after the weather-hit first round was completed earlier in the day, lit up the tournament with a blistering front nine of seven-under 28.

Having returned a first-round 64 under cloudy skies in the morning, he launched his red-hot streak by holing a nine-footer to birdie the par-four fourth.

He then holed out from a greenside bunker at the fifth, prompting a bashful smile, rolled in a 13-footer at the sixth and an 11-footer at the seventh to take the outright lead for the first time.

Woods calmly sank a seven-footer at the par-four eighth before stunning the huge galleries packed around the green at the par-five ninth with his long-range putt for eagle.

His nine-hole effort was two strokes short of the PGA Tour record, an eight-under 26 set by fellow American Corey Pavin in the first round of last year's Milwaukee Championship.