By Bob West

The News golf writer

Looking at a fourth consecutive missed cut, Andrew Landry rallied with five birdies on the back nine for a 4-under-par 68 Friday that keeps him alive in the Tournament Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

Following an opening 73, the Port Neches-Groves ex stands at 141. After moving up 48 places, he’s tied for 38th. Also among the early finishers at 141 was Tiger Woods, which opened the possibility of Landry being paired with Tiger for the first time.

Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy at tied for the lead at 132.

Landry, after taking a bogey on the par-5 ninth hole, went to his final nine holes needing to shoot 33 to make the cut. He went that two better, with birdies from 16 feet at the par-4 10th, from 10 inches at the par-4 12th, from 7-9 at the par 3 13th, from 4-1 at the par 5, 16th and from 9-7 at the par 3 17th.

The two at the treacherous, island green 17th, gave Landry six birdies against two bogeys. It was also his second birdie there, meaning the four strokes he’s spent in two rounds at 17 are three less than Woods took Friday after hitting two balls in the water.

Landry had started his day by making an 8-footer for birdie on the opening hole. But a three-putt bogey at five and a bogey after driving into the water on nine left him in a serious predicament.

Two of Landry’s birdies came after he putted for eagle on the short, par 4 12th and the par 5, 16th. The key to keeping his back-nine momentum going was holing a 9-foot par putt on the 14th.

One thing that didn’t add up in the 68 was that Landry seemingly didn’t play to his strength — accurate driving. He hit only 6 of 14 fairways, after being in only 8 of 14 on Thursday. He’s No. 119 in the field in driving accuracy.

TV coverage of the Players begins at 1 p.m. on NBC (KJAC-12.2).