St Jude Classic:Graeme McDowell struggled to build on his promising opening round at the St Jude Classic in Memphis today, carding a one-over-par 71 in Tennessee to drop back to three over. The Irishman was tied second last night, two shots off Brian Gay's lead after a 66, but was seven shots adrift this evening after the American moved to 10-under-par.

Bryce Molder was two shots behind him after carding a flawless 73 to move one ahead of fellow Americans Woody Austin and Guy Boros, who both shot 66.

Pádraig Harrington was four over after dropping to two shots through eight holes of his second round. The cut is expected to fall at around level par.

Gay was on course for another 64 but bogeyed the last two holes of his round. The American moved to 12 under, five shots clear of the field with birdies at the par-four 12th and 15th holes but his good work was undone a little with his disappointing finish to card a four-under-par 66.

Many of the chasing pack, including world number two Phil Mickelson and Europeans Jose Maria Olazabal and Mathias Gronberg, were among the day’s late starters, so PGA Tour veterans Boros, Austin and Loren Roberts took up the challenge.

Roberts, 54 later this month and competing in his hometown tournament, shot a bogey-free 67 to reach the clubhouse at six under.

That put him level with former US PGA champion Rich Beem, who shot a 68, and Heath Slocum, who had the low round of the day so far with a 63.

Jimmy Walker, in second place overnight, was struggling at the resumption, two over for the round and three under for the tournament.

John Daly perhaps had a two-under 68 that moved him to level par in his first PGA Tour tournament since completing six-month suspension for misconduct, although his survival could have been cut and dried had he not double-bogeyed his last hole, the par-four ninth.

World number four Sergio Garcia was another player facing the weekend off to contemplate his poor form ahead of next week’s US Open.

The Spaniard posted a 73 to fall to three over for the week, while the man who succeeded him as Players Champion last month, Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, was also facing an early exit in Tennessee following a 75 that moved him to eight over.