Darren Clarke was delighted with the quality of his game, even if it wasn't reflected in his score in the second round at the Dunlop Phoenix tournament in Miyazaki, Japan, yesterday.

Clarke, who wielded a hot putter in an opening 66, followed it up with a two-under-par 69 on another benign day at Phoenix Country Club.

"I hit the ball much better today, had a lot of (birdie) chances," Clarke said after posting a seven-under 135 halfway total that left him equal second with Scot Andrew Coltart, and four strokes behind Japanese leader Shingo Katayama, who had five birdies on the front nine before parring home for a 66.

Clarke mixed five birdies with three bogeys, but he thought that with a little luck his score could have been so much better.

"I hit the ball to 10 feet all the way around the front nine," he continued. "I lipped out a lot of times, but that's golf."

Clarke had an eventful final three holes. At the par-four 16th he yanked his drive under a tree and had little choice but to chip back to the fairway on his way to a bogey.

Then, at the par-three 17th, his tee-shot plugged under the lip of a bunker, from where he made an exquisite up-and-down to save par, sinking a 10-footer.

He finished on a high note with a birdie at the par-five 18th, where he made another good up-and-down after pulling his second shot left of the green.

Meanwhile, defending champion Thomas Bjorn pulled out before the round due to a bad back. He started feeling pain while playing the final hole on Thursday, and by yesterday morning was in a bad way with what he thinks is a pinched nerve.

He plans to fly home to his winter base in Dubai today. Whether he plays in the $2 Million Dollar Challenge in Sun City in a fortnight will depend on his recovery.