Clarke returns to form with closing burst

A quite brilliant closing burst swept Darren Clarke into the halfway lead at the Compass Group English Open at Hanbury Manor on Friday - as defending champion Lee Westwood missed the cut for the second time in three weeks.

Ulsterman Clarke birdied the last five holes and seven out of nine on the inward half for a superb 65 and 11 under par aggregate of 133.

Westwood, on the other hand, could do no better than a 75 and with a one over total of 145 kissed goodbye to this trophy after two days - just as he did at the Deutsche Bank Open a fortnight ago.

Nick Faldo made it with nothing to spare on level par following a 74 and six-hour wait to learn his fate, while, after a second successive 70, Colin Montgomerie has seven strokes to make up if he is to grab a third victory in four weeks.

Clarke led at the same stage at the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth last weekend, but then shot a 77 to Montgomerie's 67 and eventually finished 10 behind in joint 13th place.

"Monty is capable of fantastic things, but I'm even more determined after what I did last week," said Clarke, two ahead of Australian rookie Geoff Ogilvy.

"That 77 was a severe body blow and hopefully my form will continue this time."

After pitching to eight feet on the 14th, he sank putts of 15 and 25 feet on the next two greens, hit two woods onto the green at the upwind 496-yard 17th and completed an inward 30 with a 12-footer on the last.

Westwood, two under overnight, slumped to an outward 40, but still had a chance to make it with two to play.

However, he failed to birdie the 17th and, after almost pitching into the final hole, missed from seven feet.

He left without even looking at waiting reporters, but with the start of the US Open only 13 days away stablemate Clarke commented: "I don't think there's any cause for concern.

"I was playing behind Lee and from what I saw he just couldn't buy a putt.

"He's a fantastic player and I don't think he's worried."

Faldo did just avoid a seventh missed cut this season, when Frenchman Marc Farry missed a 20ft birdie putt in the last group of the day, but he is worried - also by what is happening on the greens.

Playing partner Montgomerie said: "It's a shame to see him give himself a lot of birdie chances and not take them.

"It's just his putting really. The rhythm is still there and the rest of his game is very good, but when you're not taking the chances it's very draining.

"But he's determined. You'll not find anyone as determined - it's unbelievable."

That alone, though, may not earn Faldo a record 12th Ryder Cup cap.

Currently 44th in the table, he could be left needing one of Mark James' two wild cards - and boy wonder Sergio Garcia and world number 16 Jesper Parnevik are likely to be in the same position.

Montgomerie has always maintained that a team without Faldo is a weaker team, but even he says: "The way Garcia has started you feel somehow 'give him to Olazabal and let him go'.

"But I'm not picking the team - I'm just a happy qualifier."

Faldo was in trouble once he bogeyed the 16th and 18th to turn in 38.

He did convert a 10-foot chance on the first, but gave that back on the fifth and, thinking he probably needed to get up and down from sand at the last for a birdie to make the cut, came out to seven feet, but missed.

Since the European tour rankings showed him 167th out of 170 in sand saves - the ability to get up and down with a single putt - this year, perhaps that was hardly surprising.

"The putting is just hard work," he sighed as his long wait began.

"It's not giving me even half a chance.

"I tried some stuff last night, but it's tough to change things in half an hour.

"The scores are higher today because the wind and I've just got to hang around."

Montgomerie came from five back at halfway to win the Volvo PGA Championship by five on Monday, so is certainly not ready yet to dismiss the idea of another title.

"The course is not as tough as Wentworth, so there's more opportunity for others to do well," he said.

"Doing what I did last week people expect you to do it again, but that was almost unique.

"I'm glad I'm in there and battling.

"This is a very humbling game - just when you think you have the answer it comes back and bites you."

Ogilvy, who shared the first-round lead with Midlander John Bickerton on 64, had to birdie the last two holes for a 71 and so relegated German Thomas Gogele (69) to third place on eight-under.

Bickerton's 73 means he goes into the third round sharing fourth place with his great friend Peter Mitchell, from Kent, and 39-year-old Australian Peter Senior.

Ryder Cup captain Mark James, runner-up to Montgomerie on Monday and seventh in the race for places in his own team, made it through on one under after a 72.

His vice-captain Sam Torrance shot 73 for four under.