Clarke on day two
The small village of Sandwich in Kent was very busy on Friday evening as the estimated thirty thousand fans made their way through the narrow streets back to the main car parks and train station on the last day of good weather - according to the forecasters. Mixed amongst those many spectators were some of the worlds highest ranking golfers, out of major contention as the cut fell on four over par.
Amidst those trying to make a quick getaway from South East England was World number one Luke Donald who failed in the being links conditions to card better than a five over par 75 to miss the cut and end the dreams of back to back wins.
Another Englishman followed him out in a courtesy car after world number 2 Lee Westwood carded a three over par in the second round to finish four over par for the tournament and see another year slip by without getting is clutches on The Open Championship.
For three time major winner, Padraig Harrington, flying under the radar into Royal St George this week in the shadow on Rory McIlroy proved of no advantage with a one over par on Friday not enough to overcome the opening day 73.
An extra few unexpected days off in Portrush were also on the cards for Graeme McDowell following a round of 77 with five bogeys and a double bogey on the ninth the only things that The Open course gave for the 2010 US Open Winner. But as GMAC left visibly tetchy about his particular round the scoreboard showed that Northern Ireland was still well represented with Darren Clarke's name topping the bill after his second round 68.
In his slipstream is American challenger Lucas Glover, also on four under, courtesy of a 70 on Friday.
In the chasing group one stroke further adrift are a most experienced and competitive cadre of players that will no doubt leave both Clarke and Glover sleeping anxiously overnight. as they include chad Campbell, Martin Kaymer and Miguel Angel Jimenez.
For Thoma Bjorn the midday start looked ominous early on, with bogeys on holes 2,3 and 4 leaving many spectators concerned that the demons of 2003 had perhaps not been exorcised and that another disaster was looming only miles from the White Cliffs of Dover. But three birdies by the time he reached the 11th tee box kept the Dane in the mix when he signed for a 73. His calmness reassuring.
He will be looking keep that demeanour as the seven man group on two under is a who is who of golf with Davis Love III, Dustin Johnson, Pablo Larrazabal, Tom Lehman, George Coetzee and Masters Champion, Charl Schwartzel.
For Amateur Tom Lewis it was a day of much contrast to Friday, when he stole the limelight from his group from the first to the eighteenth, and he was there on the sixth when his namesake Tom Watson recorded a hole in one. In the end both made the cut with Lewis still ob three shots off the pace.
For Rory McIlroy the day was again all about being patient and it paid off when he finished two better than on the opening day with a superb clutch putt on the last adding to the feeling of momentum, after being nearly plugged in a steepest of green side bunkers. His swagger was back as he walked off the last green and after signing his card he would have set about planning to cut the four shot lead from his mentor Darren Clarke.
Given the gloomy wintry forecast for Saturday, the rounds for both McIlroy and Clarke might seem like a typical Sunday round at Portrush Holywood or Balmoral Golf Club. No doubt that over the next 36 holes either golfer would love to repeat the feat of Northern Ireland's first major winner, Portrush born, Fred Daly in 1947, when he won The Open Championship at Hoylake.
What odds now on two major titles in Northern Ireland after Sunday?
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