GOLF:HOUSTON OPEN: Following Pádraig Harrington is a frustrating past-time these days; one big roller-coaster ride every time he steps onto a golf course. In any case he remains firmly in touch of the lead at the halfway stage of the Shell Houston Open in Texas.

An eagle late in the day rectified previous errors as the triple major winner eventually signed for a second round 69 and, at seven under, was just two off the lead.

All year the Dubliner has shown glimpses of his major-winning form, but all too often stitching a solitary round together, let alone four, has proved problematic. The Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February being a case in point (69, 68, 73, 78).

There was more of the sublime mixed in with the ordinary at Redstone Golf Club yesterday where he blazed a trail to grab the early lead and then fell back with a run of bogeys before getting out of jail with a late eagle.

The 39-year-old, in his final dress-rehearsal before next week’s US Masters, burst out of the blocks after starting at the 10th.

Back-to-back birdies from 10 and five feet respectively were converted at the 11th and 12th. And though finding a greenside bunker at the short 14th cost him a bogey, he was soon back on the birdie trail.

It was an immediate response with three birdies on the spin from the 15th. First up came a 14-footer at the par five before holing from the same range at the par-three 16th. At 17 his approach from 151 yards landed 10 feet from the hole to set up his fifth birdie of the nine.

The front nine was a different story when a greenside bunker at the second, wayward drive at the third and a visit to water at the par-five fourth resulted in a hat-trick of bogeys.

From leading the €4.1 million tournament, Harrington was back playing catch up. But he’s nothing if not entertaining and eventually had the final say with an eagle three at the eighth, his 17th.

A 345 yard drive left 225 yards to the pin with the approach finishing 18 feet from the cup, which Harrington converted to return to the business end of proceedings.

Chris Kirk was in the driving seat after a 69 ensured the American’s lead on nine under. He was closely followed by compatriots Johnson Wagner (67) and Anthony Kim, whose eight birdie haul in a round of 64 was one shot off the course record. The pair share second spot on eight under.

Defending Masters champion Phil Mickelson and last year’s runner-up Lee Westwood continued their preparations for Augusta with rounds of 70 and 72 respectively to leave them both at four under par.

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EUROPEAN TOUR: It was a day of contrasting fortunes as Darren Clarke moved into contention while Peter Lawrie slipped off the pace at the halfway stage of the Trophée Hassan II in Agadir, Morocco.

Things didn’t go according to plan for Lawrie, who after a sensational opening 64 to lead by three, slumped to a five over 76 on the Golf de L’Océan course and dropped back to three under.

Not a single birdie graced the 38-year-old’s card while three bogeys and a double at the seventh undid much of his previous good work. What a difference a day makes.

Clarke seemed to have no issues in the stifling Moroccan heat and his array of shot-making came to the fore in a round of 69 on the Golf du Palais Royal layout.

At five under Clarke was just one off the pace in a log-jammed leaderboard and in a chasing pack of no less than eight other players.

Defending champion Rhys Davies (70) was back in familiar territory at the top of the pile with the Welshman sharing the midway lead on six under alongside Joost Luiten from the Netherlands (69) as both played Golf du Palais Royal.

“I’m really pleased with one under par as it was really tough out there,” said Davies. “The wind was blowing hard and the gusts very strong, making it very difficult.”

Paul McGinley safely negotiated his way into the weekend with his pair of 71s to be one under, while Michael Hoey (72) was a stroke further back.

Damien McGrane struggled to a 75 but at two over the Meath squeezed in on the cut mark. Shane Lowry restored some pride with a 70 but was still way off the pace after his opening 81.

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CHALLENGE TOUR, KENYA: Niall Kearney was safely into the weekend at the Kenya Open on the Challenge Tour but Gary Murphy’s woes continue.

Kearney followed up his opening 66 at Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi with a 73 to be three under and inside the top 20.

Murphy, who got a late call to play in Kenya, shot rounds of 79, 77 to be way off the pace on 14 over.

South African Michiel Bothma (67) leads on nine under at the halfway stage.