17 years after going head-to-head, Woods, Wilson share lead at BMW

The last time Tiger Woods and Mark Wilson went head-to-head under some intense heat was in the 1992 U.S. Junior Amateur, where Woods battled from 2 down with five holes to go to win the second of his three straight Junior Am titles.

"It was a good match," Woods said.

Since then, you could say their career arcs have been a little different.

Make that way different.

Wilson, who lives in Elmhurst, has won twice on the PGA Tour, the latest coming this year in Mexico. He has missed the cut in all three majors he's played in, and has banked just over $6.5 million in purse money.

Woods, on the other hand?

Try 70 Tour wins, 14 major titles and nearly $100 million in earnings.

Yowza!

Just after noon on Saturday on the first tee, the pair will go head-to-head again, this time as co-leaders after two rounds of the BMW Championship at Cog Hill.

Wilson, buoyed by playing in front of a posse of friends and family, blistered his home course for a 5-under 66, capped off with a birdie on his final hole.

"I had a lot of people out there that were saying, 'Go Elmhurst,' " Wilson said. "It's nice to have the local people cheering me on. But the multitudes are still chasing Tiger."

And it was just as nice to have all the local knowledge of a course Wilson's been playing since moving to Chicago in 2004.

"(Owner) Frank Jemsek has been just been wonderful to me - letting me play and practice," Wilson said. "In 2004, 2005, I played and practiced a lot when I was home; it was the only place I came to."

After Cog Hill underwent its $5 million renovation, Wilson again became a frequent face around Dubsdread, playing it at least a half-dozen times where he "definitely did take notes."

Woods, a four-time winner of the BMW Championship, fought his way around the new Dubs on Friday, settling for a 67 and a share of the lead.

"I kept being very patient today," said Woods, who has won 32 of 39 events where he's been the leader or co-leader after two rounds. "It was a day where the wind was blowing just hard enough - kind of up and down, kept changing directions.

"This golf course is hard to shoot low numbers on, given today's pin locations."

First-round leader Rory Sabbatini heads a pack of four golfers 1 shot back. Bunched in together at 6 under are Padraig Harrington, Bo Van Pelt and Mark Leishman.

But Saturday afternoon it will be Woods, after being grouped with Steve Stricker for the first two rounds, up against another of the Tour's all-around nice guys.

"Two great guys," Woods said. "I've known Mark a long time and he hasn't changed a bit."

But Wilson's aim may have altered a bit - on the high side - after coming in to Cog Hill just trying to secure a spot in the top 30 and a trip to the Tour Championship in two weeks. Now, he also has a chance to weave some home course magic.

"The easiest way to get in the top 30 is to win," he said. "It's good to be in this position, but there's still a lot of golf to be played."

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