Displaying the overwhelming form that has brought him 14 major titles, Tiger Woods matched the third-largest 36-hole lead of his career on Friday to seize command of the PGA Championship.

Woods fired a two-under par 70 to stand on seven-under 137 after two rounds at windy Hazeltine, taking a four-stroke lead into the weekend. He has won 32 of 38 times when ahead after 36 holes, including every time at a major event.

"I'm very pleased at my execution today, especially in the wind," Woods said. "All the times I've been in this position I've played well and I'm playing well now, so it's just a matter of continuing what I've been doing."

The only larger 36-hole leads Woods has held in his career came in 2000 when he led by seven strokes at Akron on the way to a wire-to-wire win and by six in the US Open at Pebble Beach when he went on to win by an astounding 15 strokes.

"There are times I've put it together and I've had some pretty good margins of victory," he said. "My game over the years has gotten better and become more consistent and when I'm playing well, I usually don't make that many mistakes."

Woods began a "Tiger Slam" run of four major wins in a row at the 2000 US Open, showing unstoppable form, but said this week he is a better player now because he is a more versatile shotmaker.

"I know how to manage my game a hell of a lot better than I did back then," Woods said. "I have so many more shots now to get me around the course."

That's bad news for Woods's nearest rivals at Hazeltine - US Open champion Lucas Glover, Fiji's Vijay Singh, Australian Brendan Jones, England's Ross Fisher and defending champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland.

"We're all aware of his ability to lead from the front," Harrington said. "He gets better from the front. He can pick and choose when to be aggressive and not be aggressive so I think he likes that position."

Woods could win his 15th major, moving three shy of matching the all-time record set by Jack Nicklaus, and claim his fifth PGA Championship, matching the all-time record set by Nicklaus and Walter Hagen.

"I've got a long way to go before any of that ever happens, 36 more holes," said Woods, who is paired with former world number one Singh on Saturday.

"Tomorrow is supposed to be windy and Sunday is not supposed to be very good. You have to make sure you are there and in position and I know Vijay isn't going to make a lot of mistakes. He's going to be very consistent."

After missing the cut at the British Open, Woods has won the past two weeks and shown the same dominating form he displayed in 2006 after missing a US Open cut following the death of his father, when he went on a six-event win streak.

Woods, who shared sixth at this year's US Open and Masters, said he feels no greater pressure to win this event just because this would be the first year since 2004 that he fails to win a major title if he does not emerge triumphant.

"You just go play," he said. "You don't do anything differently just because it's the last one... You just prepare like you know you have to prepare and hopefully you can execute like you know you can."