Tiger Woods is not in pain. But he is in trouble as the Blue Monster threatens to devour him with two rounds left to play.

He trails leader Phil Mickelson by ten strokes following a 70 and three-under after two rounds.

The American was still finding the going hard in his first stroke play tournament in nine months after reconstructive knee surgery.

Tiger was seen rubbing his problematic right knee from time to time - but he has insisted that it was just still “sore” and “stiff”.

“My right ankle is a little sore, that’s about it,” he told reporters. “It’s just stuff from — I haven’t walked in a while (laughing). It’s just different. I tell you what, I need that cart.”

With Tiger so far back in the field, Mickelson cheekily laid down a challeng and said,” it sucks that Tiger is not up there going head-to-head with me in the weekend” - and concluded that he would rather it be that way.

” Me, too. Me, too,” responded Tiger. “As of now, what am I? Ten back? That’s not a very good spot to be in”.

“Hopefully tomorrow I can shoot a good round and at least give myself somewhat of a chance going into Sunday. Depends what the leaders do; if they run off and hide, it’s a totally different story.”