Donald in contention
Luke Donald outshone playing partners Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco to move into contention for the Barclays Classic in New York today.
Only 68th after a one over par opening 72, Donald charged all the way to five under with a sparkling bogey-free 65 and midway through the day’s play was only one behind new leader Billy Andrade.
The 28-year-old from High Wycombe, bumped out of the world’s top 10 and an automatic Ryder Cup spot by fellow Englishman David Howell’s victory in the BMW Championship two weeks ago, turned in a three under 32 – despite three-putting the long 18th for par.
That looked only a minor setback as he promptly birdied the 190-yard first and followed another birdie at the long fifth with a 10-footer on the next.
Overnight leader Adam Scott was able to add only a 72 to his first round 65 and Andrade took the opportunity to go top when six birdies counter-balanced three bogeys and a double bogey.
Howell, one behind after his first round 66, was among the later starters and would have been delighted to find himself still in joint second as he set off again in pursuit of his first American victory.
Stablemate Lee Westwood, meanwhile, missed the halfway cut for the sixth successive tournament after he had a second successive 74 for a six over aggregate.
Westwood’s Ryder Cup prospects have taken a real nosedive as a result and will get no better next week – he has failed to make it into the US Open.
The predicted cut mark was one over and Ian Poulter’s closing birdie put him on that mark, but last week’s winner Carl Pettersson remained three over following a 71. Defending champion Padraig Harrington, three over overnight, was another late starter.
Masters champion Mickelson and likely Ryder Cup partner DiMarco had resumed on one under and both added 70s to be two under as Donald came flying past them.
