Clarke makes a quick return as Edfors leads

SPANISH OPEN:DARREN CLARKE had to make a quick u-turn back to Seville after the Ryder Cup hero flew home thinking he'd missed the halfway cut at the Spanish Open, only to realise he scraped into the weekend.

Clarke showed all his battling qualities to pick up three birdies in his final six holes for a 69 that got him back to level par, but flew home thinking he’d missed the cut by one stroke.

After realising his error the 41-year-old was quickly on a return flight back to the Real Club where he is sure to take some flack from his peers after the premature exit.

Johan Edfors was the form player in Seville after the Swede muscled his way into the outright lead with a best of the day 64. He leads on by one on 10-under-par 134 from England’s Mark Foster (66).

Edfors struggled with different flight issues, that of jetlag during his first round 70 after he and Foster travelled to Spain from last week’s Ballantines Championship in Korea, but there was nothing lethargic about yesterday’s round.

“I hardly slept on Wednesday night, probably just two hours, and was almost dizzy in the warm up on the range,” said Edfors.

“On the back nine I was really, really tired and lucky to hang in there, but today (Friday) I gave myself good chances and it was fun to make a few (birdies).”

Edfors, who underwent keyhole surgery on his right knee two months ago, recorded nine birdies and just one dropped shot.

After starting on the back nine he birdied five of his first seven holes and had four more birdies matching nine of 32.

The 34-year-old has not shot lower on the circuit since a closing 63 won him the Scottish Open in 2006, the year he won all three of his European Tour titles.

Foster made birdies on four of his last five holes and finished with a superb three-wood over the water and onto the green at the long ninth, his 18th, as the wind picked up.

“It was a 245-yard carry and I contemplated laying up, but it was the perfect yardage and I was playing really well,” said Foster.

Damien McGrane and Shane Lowry fly the Irish flag on five-under-par 139. McGrane signed for a 71 and was joined by Lowry, who moved up the leaderboard with a 68.

The Irish Open champion started on the back nine and birdied the 12th for the second day.

However it was offset by a bogey at the 16th as the Clara pro turned in level-par 36.

The 23-year-old made his move in the latter stages with four birdies in his last five holes, twice taking advantage of the par-five fifth and ninth holes.

It was a disappointing return for the four other Irish players, who all missed the cut by some margin.

Peter Lawrie, the 2008 champion, dropped to five over after a 77, two better than Simon Thornton (77) and three better than Michael Hoey (77). Gary Murphy’s 75 left him on 10 over.

First round leader Ricardo Gonzalez joined Clarke on level par. His opening 65 proved a false dawn and was brought back down to earth with a 79.