British Open 2012: Tiger Woods Breathing Down Adam Scott’s Neck

After following an early bogey with four birdies -- including an amazing one on the par-4 18th -- Adam Scott conceded he had a case of the jitters as he realized he was taking aim at clubhouse leader Brandt Snedeker.

“A bit of a shaky start,” Scott told ESPN after following his opening-round 6-under 64 with a 67 to move into second place, just one shot back of Snedeker’s 10-under. “I got a little nervous after 11 and I made a birdie and started moving up the leaderboard a little bit and understanding what kind of position I was moving because the leaderboard was separating.

“But I managed to calm myself down pretty well to play the last few holes,” added Scott, who will be in the last group in a major for the first time in his career. “They’re tough holes in any condition.”

Perhaps even tougher with Tiger Woods breathing down your neck. Woods, with just two bogeys on his two-day scorecard, birdied the par-4 16th to break a logjam of a gaggle of golfers at 4-under and move into third place by his lonesome -- just four shots back of Scott.

Then came a signature Tiger Woods moment -- a holed wedge shot for a birdie-3 from a green-side pot bunker at No. 18 followed by the obligatory fist pump and, suddenly, in with a second straight 67 and at three shots back of Scott, the game was on for the weekend.

“It wasn’t that bad because I was on the upslope,” Woods said about his lie in the sand. “I pulled it off.”

Speaking of Woods, Scott -- with Tiger’s former caddy on his bag -- acknowledged he would lean on Steve Williams for his major championship know-how.

“So far I’ve been able to execute [my strategy] the way I want to and not get myself in too much trouble,” Scott said. “But if that doesn’t happen over the weekend, I can certainly lean on his experience to help guide me around a little bit.”

Williams toted the satchel in 13 of Woods’ 14 major wins.