DUTCH OPEN: DARREN CLARKE gave a huge boost to his hopes of a Ryder Cup wild card by charging into a share of the halfway lead at the Dutch Open in Holland.

The 40-year-old Dungannon man wanted to show Nick Faldo he has form as well as experience and did just that with a sparkling, six-under-par 64.

Amazingly, Clarke has not scored lower in a European Tour event since his unforgettable round of 60 during the 1999 European Open at The K Club.

He is now eight under par alongside England's Robert Rock and Sweden's Alexander Noren - and neither of them has won on the circuit.

Clarke's display is certainly food for thought for Colin Montgomerie, with whom he could be fighting for the final place in the European line-up for next month's match in Kentucky.

Faldo has two wild cards to hand out on Sunday week, and Paul Casey is probably favourite for one of them after his recent run, while the British Open runner-up Ian Poulter still has hopes of being one of the 10 to qualify automatically.

"I need to play well this week and next week and so far this week I've done that," said Clarke, who kept a bogey off his card on a Kennemer course he had never seen until this week.

"If Nick then feels I am worthy of a pick, so be it. If not, then that's acceptable.

"I was just very relaxed out there. With the boys (sons Tyrone and Conor) here I've got to be on my best behaviour and my attitude is just pretty good.

"I've taken a lot of pressure off myself and feel comfortable. I've been playing well and I'm in a good position now."

Clarke won in China in April, and just three weeks ago tied for sixth at the Bridgestone World Championship.

Damien McGrane and Paul McGinley are still right in contention going into the weekend.

McGrane opened the day by bogeying the first, but in the end signed for a one-under 69 to be tied for 14th on four under.

McGinley is just a shot back after an erratic 68 that included five birdies but three bogeys.

Rory McIlroy and Peter Lawrie improved with 68s, but they had left themselves too much to do after the first round and missed out on the weekend.

As for the race for the last three automatic spots in Faldo's side, Justin Rose, Oliver Wilson and Soren Hansen are still in a position to control their destiny.

Rose, joint fifth after an opening 67, lost some ground with a 69, but three birdies made it a better day than it looked like being at one stage.

Wilson, ninth in the standings, remained one under, while Dane Hansen's 69 for six under was no mean effort given he resumed with a double-bogey six.

Hansen is 213 points ahead of Germany's Martin Kaymer in the last automatic spot, and Kaymer reached four under par before bogeying two of the last three holes for a 66.

Favourite for the title has to be Sweden's world number six, Henrik Stenson, who moved to seven under with a 65.

The 32-year-old has not won for 18 months, but tied up a second cup appearance against the Americans by coming third at Royal Birkdale and fourth at the US PGA.

"It's nice not to be on the bubble here," he said. "I was at the Open, but my two best majors got me out of that tight pack.

"It's exciting to see how the team is going to shape up and I am starting to get the tingle. I am really excited about it and I think we are going to have a good time over there.

"I'm taking the next three weeks off to get fresh and ready - I hope."

Stenson turned down his US Tour card to lighten his schedule and, even though they are currently playing for a €4 million jackpot, he has no regrets.

Defending champion Ross Fisher, 13th in the cup race, just made it through on level par, but Nick Dougherty's lip-out on the last for a 68 and one-over total meant he missed the cut by a shot.

Dougherty is 14th on the table and will be glad the race ends next week and not this week. Already more than €150,000 behind Hansen, Dougherty may have to win at Gleneagles to grab a cup debut.

Also out by one on one over went British Open amateur star Chris Wood. He was round in a joint best-of-the-week 64, but was left to curse a two-stroke penalty for a wrong drop in his opening 77.

In just his second professional event, the 20-year-old from Bristol learnt the hard way that the European Tour has different rules from what he was used to.