Stephen Dodd takes lead into weekend

Stephen Dodd, bidding for his second win of the season, birdied the final hole at the Carton House course to edge into a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Irish Open on Friday.

A two-under-par 70 gave Dodd a five-under total of 139, one in front of fellow Britons David Howell, Nick Dougherty and Bradley Dredge and Pelle Edberg of Sweden on a day of gusting wind and squalls at the County Kildare layout designed by Colin Montgomerie.

Dodd won the Asian Open at the end of last year, the first event of the season on the European Tour, and was also pipped by world number three Ernie Els for the Dubai Desert Classic title in early March.

The 38-year-old Welshman, who is in his 15th year as a professional, is proving a late developer.

"It's been a great six months," Dodd told reporters. "If you win a tournament it gives you belief you can win again, and that's what has happened to me over the last six months.

"I think I do things in a more confident manner now."

Howell has bounced back well after losing a playoff to Dane Thomas Bjorn at last week's British Masters. The Englishman only needed a par at the 72nd hole to secure victory.

Defeat hit Howell hard.

"I haven't felt like that ever," he said after carding a 70 on Friday. "I was really distraught.

"I knew this week I had to get out here and put some scores on the board."

With only one European Tour title to his name despite three top-20 finishes on the order of merit in the past four years, the Ryder Cup player is anxious to capture his second trophy soon.

"I will win a tournament sooner or later and the sooner the better," said Englishman Howell. "Perhaps the answer is to have a two-shot lead playing the last rather than one."

Dougherty, like Dodd a winner in early season when the 22-year-old Englishman won the Singapore Masters, returned a 72.

Dredge went one better than fellow Welshman Dodd by birdying his last two holes to shoot a 68, the joint lowest round of the day.

Tour rookie Edberg finished even better and birdied the last three holes to match Dredge's 68.

Course architect Montgomerie (73) trails Dodd by five strokes while two of the pre-tournament favourites, Padraig Harrington (72) and Darren Clarke (75), are six adrift.

Clarke was in trouble after running up two back-nine double-bogeys but rallied to eagle the par-five 18th with a stunning five-iron approach to five feet.

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