PHILIP WALTON and Darren Clarke ensured they would get two more rounds of exacting practice for the US Open, when they survived the second round of the English Open yesterday. Defending champion Walton, and his rival from Portrush both alighted on level par at the halfway mark, and if that sounds moderate, it must be remembered that the leader Andrew Oldcorn is only seven under the card, and that the 79 players who will start today's third round are covered by only nine strokes.
It is still anybody's title at the Forest of Arden where the clinging rough and collars around the slow bumpy greens are making life so difficult for European Tours players unaccustomed to the American style set up orchestrated by European number one Colin Montgomerie. The Scot shot 68 in company with Walton (71) to finish one under, and again defended the European Tour's decision to give its leading players realistic US Open practice the week before the season's second major.
He also took issue with Ryder Cup captain Seve Ballesteros who in Germany last week declared that in his opinion the US Open was not a complete tournament because 80 per cent of the emphasis was on driving and that was too much. "My answer to that is that 80 per cent of the US Masters is chip and putt, and that is too much," said Montgomerie. "What is not complete about having to hit fairways and greens, and being able to putt which is what you have to do at a US Open?
"That is a more complete game of golf and that format is what we have here. We would become better players if we set up more courses like this. Seve and me are different players. Augusta suits him, the US Open suits me."
That said, this week's venture has only partially succeeded because of the poor quality of the greens, retarded by the cold, dry spring. They remain bumpy and slow and would test the patient of Job. They were certainly too much for Ian Woosnam, who took out a long putter for the first time in the British Isles, but shot a second 74 to miss the cut by two shots.
Raymond Burns and Paul McGinley remain the leading Irish contenders, both at two under. Burns birdied the last two holes for a 73, while McGinley had to work hard to cope with some indifferent driving that put pressure on his iron play. He coped reasonably well but had only one birdie in his 73.
Burns, who is making major changes to his swing under the guidance of coach Don Patterson, began each half with a birdie to get to four under, but lost ground each time, particularly on the inward section from the first. He had four bogeys in five holes before holing from 15 feet at the short eighth, then getting down from 25 feet after hitting the ninth green with a three iron.
Clarke squandered a promising platform after sinking a 30 foot birdie putt at the 15th to get to two under. He was between clubs with his approach to the 16th, chose the wrong one, and went through the green down a steep bank. His return chip was much too strong and he three putted as well for a double bogey six. He missed the green on the wrong side at the 17th to lose a birdie chance and did well to make par at the last after failing to hit the green and leaving his chip ten feet short of the flag.
Padraig Harrington was the unluckiest of the Irish contingent, for after recovering strongly from his opening 78 with an outward 33 and a 69, he missed safety by one stroke.
Christy O'Connor Jnr had 71 but also finished three over, while Des Smyth (74) and Eamonn Darcy (72) were one stroke further back. Milltown's Francis Howley never came to terms with the unfamiliar conditions and added 76 for 154.
