Ogilvy sets the pace
Geoff Ogilvy established a one-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Australian Open at The Lakes Golf Club, while American drawcard John Daly endured a torrid back nine to miss the cut for the weekend.
Having started the day three shots behind overnight leader Matthew Griffin, Ogilvy mixed consistency with the spectacular for a round of 65 to leave him at 11-under, one shot clear of Matt Jones who shot the round of the day, an eight-under 64.
Jones, a regular on the US PGA Tour, was the major mover of the afternoon groups showing all his class as he fired eight birdies on a blemish-free round to end the day at 10-under.
Griffin, who had to battle the increasing afternoon winds on his way to a two-under 70, is a shot further back at minus nine.
Starting at the 10th alongside Adam Scott and China’s Liang Wenchong, Ogilvy took full advantage of the favourable early conditions to make five birdies before the turn to set up his day.
Ogilvy then added a further two birdies on the back nine to complete a flawless second round that will make the former US Open champion hard to catch over the weekend.
Daly, who started the day at three under, was one of a number of high-profile casualties that missed the cut.
The popular American had an ideal start with a birdie on the first but followed it up with bogeys at the third and sixth before a sensational tee shot at the par-three ninth enabled him to pull a shot back.
But it all went sour for Daly on the back nine as he completely lost his rhythm, dropping five shots to finish at two over and miss the cut by one shot, along with fellow American Fred Couples and two-time Open champion Aaron Baddeley.
