Golf:Darren Clarke was making his presence felt at the Volvo Golf Champions in Bahrain today after a string of birdies moved him right into contention. With six holes to play, Clarke had reached nine under and trails clubhouse leader Edoardo Molinari by just two shots.
Molinari birdied his first six holes and finished with another to charge into the lead. Resuming only joint 14th after an opening 68, Molinari added a 65 to reach halfway on 11 under par.
That was two in front of his brother and Ryder Cup partner Francesco, Clare and also overnight pacesetter Johan Edfors, although the Swede was among the later starters in the second round.
Edoardo was delighted by his position — and also the fact that his brother was in contention. Francesco was a playing partner in the final round when he won both the Scottish Open and Johnnie Walker Championship last season.
“It’s good fun,” he said. “It was quite windy at first and so it was a great start obviously. I quite like funny courses. This is not straightforward — you have to plan your way round and be patient. It was a little bit frustrating in the middle. I had a lot of chances and was not putting very well, but it was good to end with
a birdie.”
Francesco, the higher-ranked of the two Italians by four spots at 15th in the world, followed up his first day 66 with a 69 and said: “Hopefully I can catch him.”
Padraig Harrington got further than he did last week in Abu Dhabi when a disqualification followed his opening 65, but the three-time major winner remained six shots off the pace with a 69.
Ian Poulter, hugely critical of the greens on the Colin Montgomerie-designed course after a level-par 72, improved three shots on that and a closing birdie almost certainly guaranteed he avoided a second successive missed cut.
On his Twitter site Poulter told the absent Lee Westwood that he should have joined him and Rory McIlroy in having a week off.
“Schoolboy error playing,” he wrote. “Apparently the Architect wanted to make a statement with the greens, he did that alright they are &% #. Played great today 35 putts, missed 1 green, Simply the WORST greens I have ever seen & I’m not joking. They are embarrassing.”
Montgomerie himself remained level par after three holes and so needed to step up the pace to give himself another two rounds
