Darcy shows vintage form as the desert wind gets up

Eamonn Darcy turned in a vintage display to move into contention for the weekend in Doha yesterday.

Darcy (48), in his 31st season on the European Tour, added a superb 68 to his opening 69 at Doha Golf Club for a seven-under-par halfway total of 137.

Sweden's Robert Karlsson holds a two-shot lead over the field on 11-under-par after adding a 70 to his course record 63 in the first round.

France's Olivier Edmond and New Zealander Elliot Boult shared second on nine under with Scotland's Dean Robertson, Austrian Markus Brier and Argentinian Angel Cabrera a shot further back.

Darcy was four shots off the pace, but definitely in the hunt given his experience of playing in the windy conditions that prevail here. The former Ryder Cup player is also enjoying a new lease of life off the course after getting married in December.

"I'm right back in the tournament," said Darcy, who lost his card last season but finished 12th in his 2001 debut in Dubai last week. "The leaders were just going out as I finished, but I knew they'd find it hard in the wind because it was a much tougher day than yesterday.

"I'm really looking forward to the weekend now, I'll give it a lash! I hit the ball nicely in Dubai and surprised myself a bit, because I hadn't played any golf before that. I took a four-month break, which I always do.

"I try to get away from it all to recharge the batteries for the season ahead. When I'm away I like to ride horses and do a bit of hunting, but that is all stopped at the moment because of the foot-and-mouth outbreak which has been pretty bad."

Paul McGinley was just a shot further back after a superb, five-under-par 67, while Des Smyth (71) and David Higgins (72) were on two under. But Ronan Rafferty blew up to a 76 after an opening 69 to miss the cut by two shots.

Karlsson has won three times on the tour - the last coming in Belgium in 1999 - but admitted it would be a novel experience trying to lead from start to finish.

"It's always nicer to be chasing than to being chased, but it's something I have to learn," said the 31-year-old, who narrowly missed out on a place in the 1999 Ryder Cup team.

"I'm usually pretty good under pressure but I don't put myself in that position often enough. I'm looking forward to getting that experience and whatever happens I will take a lot from it."

Edmond was rookie of the year in Europe in 1998 but missed most of the following season after being diagnosed with cancer, returning on a medical exemption last season after successful chemotherapy treatment.

"For the first two months you don't know what is going on, you don't really understand what is happening," Edmond said after also matching Karlsson's 70. "At first they said I would just need an operation, but then I had to have chemotherapy and after the third course I was unable to eat and drink for eight days.

"It's an experience that makes you feel alone. Even if my wife and parents were there you feel on your own, it's difficult to put into words.

"But hopefully, touch wood, I am now okay and I just go for checks every three months."

Joint overnight leader Mark Pilkington did not fare so well, the 22-year-old Welshman slumping to a 79, 16 shots worse than his first round to finish two under par, just one shot inside the cut which fell at 143.