And he looked to be straight back into the groove this morning when, having been out shortly after 7am from the 10th tee, he picked up a birdie two at the 11th and then moved into the lead on his own with a 35-foot birdie at the next.

The 31-year-old, seeking to gain an early lead in the Order of Merit in what is the first event of the 2003 European Tour, then stretched his lead to two with a 25-foot putt for birdie on the 15th.

But after turning in 33, Harrington bogeyed the first and then, after holing an eight-footer for birdie at the third, disappointingly dropped back to eight under with a bogey on the ninth, his last.

Afterwards last year’s money list runner-up blamed a lack of sharpness for his performance.

He said: “I started well, but my concentration wasn’t good today. I should have done better as I was swinging the club fine. Some days it’s like that. I wasn’t in it today.

“I don’t think the course played a hell of a lot different to yesterday, I just didn’t do the job, and it’s always annoying to bogey the last.

“I should have been a few better. It’s an opportunity missed.”

Harrington’s time alone at the top of the leaderboard was short-lived, with talented South African Trevor Immelman putting together a late burst of birdies to join him on eight under.

Starting the day on three under, Immelman picked up four birdies and an eagle on the long sixth to post a five-under 67 over the 7,101-yard course.

But the day’s headlines were threatening to be stolen by in-form Dutchman Maarten Lafeber, who after his 66 yesterday stormed past both Harrington and Immelman with two birdies and an eagle at the 14th, his fifth, to go two clear on 10 under with nine still to play.

Overnight leader Jyoti Randhawa was one of the afternoon starters but he fell away to three under with an eight on the long 14th.

Three of the Tour’s old stagers enjoyed a successful second morning.

Barry Lane fired a bogey-free 69 to move to five under, whilst on four under were outgoing Ryder Cup skipper Sam Torrance, who came home in 31 for a 67, and Ian Woosnam, who added a 69 to his opening 71.

Korean Kevin Na, who only arrived at midnight on Wednesday as a late replacement for Carlos Franco, hit a five-under round of 67 to be four off the lead on six under.

The morning was marred by news of the death of John Daly’s mother Lou from lung cancer.

The big-hitting American had been with his mother for the past few weeks but followed her advice to play in China last week, as well as Taiwan, and had been hoping to go on to Australia next week.

Daly learnt about the death during his opening round of 70 yesterday but decided to carry on, in accordance with his mother’s wishes.

10 under - M Lafeber (Ned) (after 27 holes)

8 under – P Harrington (36)

T Immelman (Rsa) (36)

7 under – A Pitts (USA) (36)

6 under – A Singh (Ind) (36)

K Na (Kor) (36)

D Terblanche (Rsa) (24)

S Yates (24)

J van Hauwe (Fra) (21)

5 under – B Lane (36)

R Ponce (Ecu) (27)

J Kingston (Rsa) (27)

S Struver (Ger) (24)

Selected others:

4 under – I Woosnam (36)

S Torrance (36)

3 under – J Daly (USA) (25)

1 under – P McGinley (24)

Level – JM Olazabal (Spa) (25)