Tiger Woods seems well on his way to a second British Open title at St. Andrews. The reigning Masters champion posted a bogey-free, five-under 67 on Friday and opened a four-shot lead at 11-under-par 133 two rounds into the season's third major. Despite Woods' outstanding play over the first two rounds, Friday belonged to the man whose records Woods has made a career out of chasing. Jack Nicklaus closed his competitive career in style Friday. He drained a seven-foot, left-to-right birdie putt at the 18th hole to shoot an even-par 72. Nicklaus missed the cut at three-over-par 147, but he delighted the huge galleries one last time. "I played pretty well today," admitted Nicklaus, who decided that this would be the final tournament of his competitive career. "Actually, as I was coming down the last few holes, I'm sitting there saying, 'man, I don't want to go through this again. Maybe it's just as well I miss the cut. I think these people have been wonderful.'" The cut line floated around even-par on Friday and Nicklaus came into the second round at plus-three. When he birdied the 10th from four feet out, he was two-over for the championship and had the cut in his sites. Unfortunately, Nicklaus' putter let him down as it had all day Friday. He missed a short par save at 12, then his seven-footer for par at 17 moved right. He was four-over with no chance of making the cut, so Nicklaus hit his driver as hard as he could on 18. Then he took the immortal walk to Swilken Bridge and stopped to wave the gallery. Nicklaus brought his son Steve, who caddied this week, and playing partners Luke Donald and Tom Watson and their caddies on to the Bridge for some pictures. Donald and Watson left to give the Nicklauses some time together, then the golf was back on the forefront. Nicklaus putted his second seven feet past the hole, then sank the putt. He walked off the green arm-in-arm with Watson, a long-time rival but good friend. When he walked off the course, he went into the open arms of his entire family. Golf was the last thing on his mind. "I'm not really concerned about what my legacy is in relation to the game of golf, frankly," admitted Nicklaus. "I'm more concerned about what my legacy is with my family, my kids and my grandkids. If I've done it properly out here and I can hold my head up to my kids and grandkids, that's the most important thing." Every time Nicklaus has walked away from a major championship, Woods has hoisted the trophy. It happened in 2000 at Pebble Beach for the U.S. Open, then a few months later at the PGA Championship. Nicklaus decided this year would be his final trip as a player to the Masters, and Woods donned his fourth green jacket. With a four-shot lead at the halfway point, Woods is in outstanding position to complete the career "Nicklaus Retirement" slam. Colin Montgomerie, long considered one of the best players to never win a major, rolled in a 10-foot birdie putt at the last and is closest to Woods. He shot a six-under 66 on Friday and is alone in second place at minus-seven. Vijay Singh, the No. 2 player in the world, headlines the group in third place at minus-six. Singh, who shot a second-round 69, was joined in third by two- time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal (70), Peter Lonard (70), Robert Allenby (68), Brad Faxon (66), Trevor Immelman (70) and Scott Verplank (70). When Woods walked on the first tee, he was tied for the lead with Singh and Immelman at minus-six. It did not take long for the No. 1 player in the world to separate himself. Woods knocked a sand-wedge to six feet at the third and drained the birdie putt. At the par-five fifth, Woods reached the green in two with a six-iron and two- putted from 25 feet for birdie. He had 10 feet for birdie at seven and even walked toward the hole, but the ball lipped out on the right side. Woods' biggest weapon on Friday was his driver because he drove several par- four greens. The first was the ninth and Woods two-putted for birdie. He made it back-to-back birdies when he two-putted from 70 feet at the 10th. Woods reached the putting surface in two with a three-iron at the 618-yard, par-five 14th. His lag try from 60 feet came up five feet short, but Woods converted the birdie to reach 11-under par. The 2000 champion had some chances coming in to extend the lead. At the 15th, Woods missed a 12-footer for birdie, then pulled his four-footer at No. 17. He was lucky to save par at 18 because his drive landed on the first tee. Woods hit his second short of the green, but putted up to two feet and made the par save. "The whole idea was to shoot something in the 60s today, which I did," said Woods, who finished second at the U.S. Open. "Even though I missed a couple of opportunities today, I made some good par saves as well." Woods is aware of the distance he has put between himself and the field, but the 29-year-old is not about to relent, no matter who is chasing him. "You have to be committed to what you're doing out there and not really worry about what everybody else is doing," said Woods. "You have enough issues out there to worry about." Fred Couples, who complained of back pain after the round, shot a 71 and is tied for 10th place with Sergio Garcia (69), Bart Bryant (70), Simon Khan (70) and Bo Van Pelt (67). The group came in at five-under-par 139. Ernie Els, who won the title in 2002 and lost in a playoff last year, shot a five-under 67 and is now in the hunt. The South African completed two rounds at three-under-par 141. Phil Mickelson, the 2004 Masters winner, was four-under on his round after missing a short par putt on the par-four 17th. The 18th played downwind and Mickelson drove his ball 20 feet from the hole. He narrowly missed the eagle try, but tapped in for birdie and a round of 67, putting him in the group with Els, Donald, Adam Scott, Retief Goosen and reigning U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell. The 36-hole cut fell at one-over-par 145 and among the notable players who missed the mark beside Nicklaus were: Jim Furyk, 2003 winner Ben Curtis and 1994 champion Nick Price, all at 148, and Stewart Cink and Davis Love III, who were one stroke worse.