Paul Azinger had never played with Tiger Woods before Friday.

In fact, the 16-year veteran had spent precious little time watching Woods swing the golf club, either on the course or on the practice tee.

But after watching Woods fire a 6-under-par 66 to grab a three-shot lead halfway through the Masters Tournament, Azinger knew he had witnessed a round to remember.

``When he hit his drive on No. 2, I said, `Wow,''' Azinger said.

That wouldn't be the last time.

It wasn't just the 320-yard drives Woods kept smacking. It wasn't just the laser-beam iron shots the 21-year-old prodigy kept throwing at flag sticks. It wasn't just the clutch putts Woods kept dropping.

It was the whole package that electrified his mammoth following and sent shock waves through the world's most prestigious field on a mild, overcast day.

``He made one mistake today; he hit a bad shot into 17,'' said Azinger, who managed a 1-over 73 to fall six shots off Woods' pace. ``He was impressive today. The fact that he's at Augusta and able to go out there with all the hype and play like that is impressive.''

Two-time Masters champion Tom Watson was similarly impressed.

``It doesn't reveal anything I don't know about him,'' Watson said. ``He's a winner, no question.''

Whether Woods will spend Sunday evening as the winner remains to be seen, but doubters weren't exactly plentiful.

After opening with a 40 on the front nine Thursday, Woods has sizzled to the tune of 12-under-par. He is 7-under on the four par-5 holes through two rounds, including three birdies and an eagle Friday.

Woods' secret? He hits wedges when his competitors use 5-irons.

The result is darts, not golf.

``He makes the golf course into nothing,'' said six-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus. ``That's why this young man is so special. If he's playing well, the golf course becomes nothing. He reduced the golf course down to nothing.''

Nicklaus shook his head.

``I'm going to tell you one thing,'' he said. ``It's a shame Bob Jones isn't here. He could have saved the words he used for me in '63 for this young man, because he's certainly playing a game we're not familiar with.''

Azinger had a ringside seat for the freak show. He still recalls the first time he played with Nicklaus and Watson, who boast 26 major professional titles between them.

Friday's performance already ranks with those rounds in Azinger's mind.

``Tiger didn't shock me today; I expected him to be as good as he was,'' Azinger said. ``He hit some courageous shots today.''

Italy's Costantino Rocca played with Woods at the '96 U.S. Open. Rocca, who sits four shots off the pace, noted one major difference in Woods' game now as compared with last June.

``He hits the ball a lot better to the greens now,'' Rocca said. ``In the U.S. Open he tried to hit the ball hard on every shot. Now he has the ability to punch some shots.''

And unless somebody steals his clubs - fast - the world's most famous Stanford dropout just might punch out the rest of the field by the time today's play ends.

``Nobody runs away here, but I wouldn't put it past him,'' Azinger said. ``You don't know what the pressure will do, and this course has a history of doing some funny things. But I think he'll be hard to beat. He's really good.''

You don't think of him as being 21.