Ernie Els may have just set a new European Tour record for successive cuts made - an incredible 70 going back to the start of the 2000 season - but he had a long wait to discover if he had made an early exit from the Nissan Open in Los Angeles. Graeme McDowell already knows his fate, missing his second successive cut.

At three over par after nine holes of his second round there appeared little chance of the South African star extending the longest active cut streak on the American circuit. That goes back 24 events to the Bay Hill Invitational two years ago.

He was down in 114th place at that stage, with only the top 70 and ties qualifying for the final two rounds.

But Els then produced birdies at the 10th, 11th and 17th to recover to level par and, with over half the field still to finish, his 72 had left him in a tie for 66th spot.

Meanwhile, his compatriot Rory Sabbatini took over at the top from Britain’s Justin Rose and little-known American Dean Wilson. They were among the later starters and Sabbatini’s 65 for a 10-under-par total gave him a three-stroke lead.

This is Els’ first event in the States since last June’s US Open. The following month he suffered a serious knee injury in a sailing accident and the surgery which followed kept him out of action for over four months.

It was a cold rather than the knee that bothered him when he resumed at 7.30am, however. Echoing what Tiger Woods had said 24 hours earlier he stated: "I had no energy -  I was nowhere. It was a little ugly and my iron play let me down a little bit, but I fought back.

"I’m not trying to keep the cut streak alive, I’m trying to get back in the tournament. Making it to the weekend gives you half a chance."

His problems began straightaway this morning. He carved his opening drive into the trees and in the end did well to scramble a par five on the easiest hole on the entire Riviera course.

Els then three-putted the second for bogey and double-bogeyed the next. From the rough his second shot hopped into a greenside bunker and was so close to the back lip his only option was to knock it further forward in the sand.

Els hit the hole with his next shot from the trap, but the ball rolled on four feet and he missed the return.

That was as bad as it got, though, and his inward 33 kept alive his hopes of staying in the event he won in 1999 by beating Woods — another of today’s later starters and two under overnight.

Dubliner Paul McGinley had his second successive 70 to be two under, but Co Antrim's McDowell missed the cut for the second week running on three over following a 72.

McGinley said: "I played good -  lots of greens, lots of fairways - and while it’s not world-class it’s something to build on.

"I’ve been in the game long enough. If you have two or three wins in a year it’s an unbelievable year. That means there are 27 events you’re not winning and the key in them is to build up for the weeks when you are hot.

"I’ve made the cut again and have an opportunity for a good finish. It helps to reach the buzz."

McDowell, set to play either Tiger Woods or Vijay Singh in next week’s World Match Play in San Diego depending on whether Retief Goosen pulls out, commented: "I’m very close. I’m just having a few teething problems with equipment, but it’s getting better every week even if the scores have not shown it. I’m still positive."

Rose was not the only European in the thick of the action. France’s Thomas Levet was six under and joint fourth with three holes to go. One shot further back in a tie for seventh was Swede Henrik Stenson after 16 holes.

Stenson leads the European Ryder Cup race at the moment and has come to the States on the back of a win and a second place in the Middle East already this year.

Londoner Brian Davis, third last year, was heading out of the event at six over with two holes remaining.