A new experience for injured Vaughan

SENIOR BRITISH OPEN:AMERICAN Bruce Vaughan will enter unchartered territory after his level par 71 gave him the lead on three-under-par 139 at the halfway mark of the Senior British Open Championship - the first time he has topped a leaderboard going into the weekend.

The joint overnight leader is a shot clear of compatriot John Cook and two ahead of Bernhard Langer, Eduardo Romero and defending champion Tom Watson at Royal Troon Golf Club.

Mark McNulty added a 72 for a total of 142 and a share of sixth place while Eamonn Darcy and Denis O'Sullivan also made the cut.

Darcy shot 76 for 147 with O'Sullivan two back on 149 after a 74.

Des Smyth missed the cut after a 77 left him wide of the mark on 155 as did amateurs Arthur Pierse, 74 for 154, Adrian Morrow, Stephen Prendergast and Niall Lavin.

Vaughan, whose best career finish was second at the Dick's Sporting Goods Open in 2007, carded a bogey on the third hole but immediately recovered with a birdie on the fourth, before repeating the bogey-birdie sequence on the 15th and 16th holes.

The 51- year-old needed ice treatment on his left knee - which he has had six operations on in the past two years - after feeling pain on the fourth tee, rekindling memories of Tiger Woods' incredible injury-hampered rounds at the US Open Championship.

Of course Padraig Harrington also overcame injury to win the British Open Championship at Royal Birkdale last week and it was a case of "beware the injured golfer" once more as Vaughan played himself into contention to also win a major championship.

As well as his knee problems, Vaughan will have to contend with the new experience of leading a tournament at this stage for the first time, after finishing his second round with a three-under-par total.

Vaughan said: "I played okay not as good as yesterday, obviously, but I hit some decent shots. My knee was hurting a little bit out there to be honest.

"I have had six operations in the past two years and have had a partial knee put in three times. I did have two pieces of metal in there but now I only have the one with a lot of polyurethane sort of stuff."

Cook also carded two birdies and two bogeys en route to his level par 71 to stay on two under par for the championship.

He said: "Any time you're under par at a major championship, you have to be pleased, and today was no exception. I played very well. I hit a lot of very, very solid shots."

If Vaughan can keep up his momentum it certainly could create more than one good story, as he could be paired with fellow Kansas player Tom Watson over the weekend after the three-time champion stayed at one under par with a level par 71.

Argentine Romero, who had shared the lead with Vaughan overnight, had slipped back in the early windy conditions and carded a two over par round of 73 while former Ryder Cup captain Langer finished with a level par 71.

Greg Norman's Open Championship hangover continued as he struggled again early on but the Great White Shark finished with an eagle on the 16th and a birdie on the last for a one over par round of 72 to play himself back into the championship on five over par - eight shots off the lead.