Darren Clarke and Lucas Glover top the Open Championship leaderboard at the halfway stage.
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It was a mixed second day for Northern Irishman Clarke as he racked up birdies and bogeys, as well as an eagle a double-bogey, but his two-under-par 68 was enough to put him at the summit on four-under alongside American Glover.
Clarke came into the second day three shots behind overnight leaders Thomas Bjorn and Tom Lewis and made an immediate impression with a birdie at the par-three third. However, his joy was short-lived as a double-bogey at the very next hole, the par-four fourth, dealt him a major setback. The 42-year-old made amends with a superb eagle at the par-five seventh, and he improved his score further by following that up with a birdie at the par-four eighth as he went on to make the turn in 33.
Clarke then overcame a bogey at the par-four 10th with successive birdies at the par-four 12th and 13th to move into the clubhouse lead, but he surrendered his advantage with bogeys at the par-five 14th and par-three 16th. But the popular Northern Irishman had one last response and it came it the very last hole as his birdie was enough to ensure he would reach the midway point in a share of the lead.
While Clarke rode a rollercoaster of emotion on Friday, Glover was solid and unspectacular as his two birdies and two bogeys in a par-70 were enough to put him in joint possession of top spot.
World number three
Martin Kaymer is part of a four-strong group that are hot on the heels of the top two on three-under. The German made two birdies and a bogey as a one-under-par 69 was enough to put him in a share of third place with Chad Campbell (68), Miguel Angel Jimenez (71) and overnight leader Bjorn (72).
Amateur Tom Lewis, who stole the headlines on Thursday to take a share of the lead after the first round, was unable to repeat his first-round heroics as a four-over-par 74 meant he fell three shots off the leaders.
Meanwhile, a shot further back is pre-tournament favourite
Rory McIlroy. The US Open winner once again failed to light up Royal St George’s with the form he showed at Congressional, but a solid one-under par 69 improved his total to par through 36 holes and leaves him in a good position heading into the weekend, unlike the world’s top two.
World number one Luke Donald followed up an opening-round 71 with a dismal five-over-par 75 to miss the cut, and also heading home is fellow countryman and second-ranked Lee Westwood after his three-over-par 73 was meant he slipped to four-under. Donald and Westwood were not the only high-profile casualties at the halfway point as Graeme McDowell and Matt Kuchar also crashed out with scores of five-over and 11-over respectively.
