US Tour: Darren Clarke dragged himself back into contention on the second day of the season-ending US Tour Championship in Houston yesterday.
Clarke struggled to an opening 74 at Champions Golf Club and admitted it could easily have been much worse as he battled a destructive hook.
The Ulsterman headed straight to the practice ground to iron out the problem with coach Butch Harmon and it paid immediate dividends as he carded a second round 68 for a level par half-way total of 142.
However, Clarke has a lot a ground to make-up with Charles Howell holding a one-shot lead at at eight-under-par after the second round.
Howell added another 67 for a 134 total to lead by one from Fred Funk, with Retief Goosen next on six-under and Chris Riley another shot back.
Howell, out in 35, hit a purple-patch on the back nine. After dropping a shot at the 12th, he went eagle, birdie, par, birdie to jump into the lead.
Goosen, out in 34, was briefly in the lead when he shot three birdies in four holes from the 13th, but a dropped shot at the 17th brought him back to the pack.
Clarke carded four birdies and one bogey and traded blows with playing partner Vijay Singh, whose own 68 left him on one-under-par and well placed to defend his lead at the top of the tour money list.
Clarke said: "Today I hit a lot more really good shots and putted nicely again, so I'm pretty pleased with 68.
"There are a lot of players at four under so I'll have to play a lot better over the weekend to give myself a chance, but if I can go out tomorrow and shoot 65 you never know."
Singh, who clearly enjoyed Clarke's company more than that of Woods on the opening day, insisted he was not worrying about the battle for the money list title.
Woods, seeking an unprecedented fifth straight money list crown, was just one shot off the lead after 13 holes of his second round, the world number one picking up birdies at the fifth and 13th. But he then dropped a shot at the 15th.
Three pars on the run-in for a 70 saw him finish on two-under-par 140.
A superb approach to four feet on the fourth set Singh up for his first birdie of the day and only his second of the tournament, and another promptly followed on the par-five next after he comfortably reached the green in two.
Singh was demonstrating the kind of form which has seen him finish in the top 10 in 10 of his last 11 events, a third birdie coming from close range after a superb tee-shot on the par-three eighth.
That briefly took him alongside Woods on one-under-par before the world number one birdied the fifth to edge ahead.
Singh's charge was then slowed by a bogey on the 11th, but he was quickly back on track with a birdie at the 13th and he then parred his way in for his 68.
LEADING SECOND ROUND SCORES: 134 - C Howell 67 67; 135 - F Funk 68 67; 136 - R Goosen (South Africa) 69 67; 137 - C Riley 69 68; 138 - D Toms 69 69, J Leonard 69 69, C DeMarco 68 70, 139 - S Flesch 71 68, E Els (South Africa), C Campbell 70 69. Irish score: 142 - D Clarke 74 68.
