Published Saturday, 01 December 2012
Graeme McDowell hits a tee shot on day two of the Tiger Woods World Challenge (© Getty)
G-Mac, who was in a chasing pack of three after a first-round 69, signed for a six-under 66 on Friday to move to nine under overall.
He kicked off with three successive birdies and added four more in the back nine to weigh against a solitary dropped shot at the par-four seventh.
"There's definitely going to be a little bit of intensity that's going to crank up this weekend," he told the PGA Tour website after the round. "Chances are around the corner."
American trio Bo Van Pelt, Jim Furyk and Keegan Bradley are tied for second on six under, with the latter making a bogey-free round including three birdies.
Host Tiger Woods lies one stroke further back after signing for a 69 - dropping shots at eight and 15 either side of four birdies in five holes.
Australia's Jason Day is bottom of the 18-man field on two over through 36 holes, with the third and final non-American, England's Ian Poulter, also struggling on one above par.
Overnight leader Nick Watney slipped back to five shots off the lead after following his day-one score of 67 with a 73.