DARREN CLARKE had a roller coaster second round during the Loch Lomond World Invitational tournament yesterday but remains very much in contention.

Clarke shot a two over par 73, on a difficult course in a strong wind yet, at one under par overall, he is only two shots behind the Danish leader, Thomas Bjorn, who followed his first round 70 with a 69 for a 36 hole aggregate of 139.

But it was a case of what might have been for 28 year old Clarke. After a superb first nine holes, which he covered in four under par 32, he was seven under and three shots clear of the field.

Then the roof caved in as he lost a ball at the 10th hole, went from the frying pan into the fire at the 13th, and played possibly his worst shot of the day at the 16th to play the last nine holes in a six over par 41.

It must have been heart breaking for Clarke but he finished the round with a flourish, getting up and down for a par four from over the back of the 18th green.

He made a dream start with birdies at the first three holes. He hit the first and second greens with a drive and an eight iron and holed pulls of 20 feet at the first and three feet at the second. Then he covered the 505 yard third with a drive and a six iron and two putted from 15 feet. He then roared into the lead and went three shots clear with another birdie at the ninth where he needed only a five iron, a sandwedge and a seven foot putt.

He marched to the 10th tee full of confidence and then came what he later described as the first of the three bad shots that ruined his round. Clarke took a three wood off the tee but smashed it into the trees on the right and lost the ball. It cost him a double bogey six, but he was still leading by one shot.

Then he missed the green at the 12th to drop another shot, but the worst disaster came at the 560 yard 13th. He pulled his tee shot into "rubbish", came out sideways into a bunker, hit an eight iron out of the sand into a ditch and had to take a penalty shot. His fifth stroke went into a greenside bunker and he pitched out and two putted for an eight.

A badly played four iron shot cost him another shot at the 16th.

Of the eight Irishmen in the field Paul McGinley, with a second round 74 for 146, was nearest to Clarke but, unlike his great friend and colleague, he had a poor outward half of 39 and a good inward nine of 35.

Des Smyth, 72 for 147, Eamon Darcy 76 for 147, Ronan Rafferty 75 for 148, and Padraig Harrington 74 for 150, also made the cut.

David Higgins, 79 for 158 and Philip Walton 76 for 156, missed the cut.

Pete Jordan shot 64 to move into the lead after the second round of the $1 million B.C. Open golf tournament in New York yesterday.

Tiger Woods moved into joints second place, three shots behind, after shooting a 66 for 134. Overnight leader Brian Claar and Fred Funk are on the same mark.