Darren Clarke, who showed a welcome return to form at last week’s Volvo PGA Championship, reinforced his own view that he is on the way back by shooting a blistering 65 to lead at the halfway stage of the Compass Group English Open.
The Ulsterman finished with a flourish, sinking five successive birdie putts, on an inward run of 30 for his seven-under-par round.
Clarke leads by two strokes from Australian Geoff Ogilvy, the joint first round leader, on an 11-under-par total of 133. Ogvily produced a strong finish himself by picking up shots at the 17th and 18th for a 71 and total of 135.
Thomas Gögele of Germany is next on 136 with three players, Peter Mitchell, John Bickerton and Peter Senior on 137.
However the day belonged to Clarke, whose chances of winning the coveted Volvo PGA crown were wrecked by a third round 77 last Sunday. He admitted: “I was disappointed with the 77 last week. It was a body blow. Hopefully this week I can keep on playing the way I have been.
“I’m hitting the ball fine and enjoying what I’m doing. The swing feels great and is getting better and better. To do well in tournaments you need breaks and that was lacking earlier in the season. I’m getting a few good bounces going my way now.”
Clarke added that he is “even more determined” this week to get to winning ways after a barren spell following his sensational victory in the Volvo Masters at Montecastillo last November.
However he faces an interesting challenge from Ogilvy, the 21 year old from Australia. He had shared the first round lead with Bickerton on 64 and seemed to be slipping down the leader board with three bogeys on the front nine.
But his double birdie flourish ensured he kept the pressure on Clarke as the players ganged up behind the big Irishman.
He laughed: “Unfortunately my parents can’t watch the golf on TV back home, but mum watched the live scoring on the computer. I don’t expect she gets much sleep.”
Another Australian, Senior, made his move with a 68 to share the seven under par mark with Bickerton (73) and Mitchell (69). But neither Clarke nor the rest of the field is prepared to discount Colin Montgomerie.
The new Volvo PGA champion shot his second consecutive 70 for a four-under-par total of 140 – seven behind his close friend Clarke but by no means out of the reckoning.
He said: “I feel I left a few shots out there and hopefully I can make up for it. It’s a very humbling game. Just when you think you have found the answer it comes back and bites you.”
Nick Faldo made the cut right on the mark of level par, but defending champion Lee Westwood, bowed out on 145 after a second round of 75.
