Darren Clarke moved into a share of the lead with Thomas Björn during the second round of The Open Championship at Royal St George’s.
The Northern Irishman, a runner-up in 1997 and tied for third in 2001, eagled the par five seventh with a monster putt from off the green and when he added back-to-back birdies at the 12th and 13th he was four under for the day with five to play.
That took him alongside Björn on five under, the Dane yet to tee off after his magnificent opening 65.
Amateur Tom Lewis, the surprise package of day one and overnight joint leader, was two over after eight and level with clubhouse leader Chad Campbell on three under – the American signing for a 68.
Lewis’ playing partner Tom Watson – the man he is named after, in fact, had a hole in one at the sixth when his four iron bounced once into the cup.
And the 61 year old could do no wrong for the moment as he picked up a birdie on the par five seventh as well to improve to one under, four off the lead.
Clarke was enjoying a rollercoaster round containing four birdies, an eagle, a bogey and a double bogey, moving from two under overnight.
In contrast, Lee Westwood was now facing a battle to make the halfway cut, the World Number Two running up a double bogey six on the eighth to slump to three over par.
Clarke finished in style with a birdie on the 18th to complete a second successive 68, sharing the clubhouse lead on four under with Glover (70).
Björn had fallen back to three under with bogeys at the second and third, leaving playing partner Simon Dyson to charge to the head of the field with an opening hat-trick of birdies.
