Karlsson takes control as Westwood's woes continue

GOLF: Lee Westwood is fed up with the Ryder Cup. He is fed up with talking about it, fed up with other people talking to him about it and fed up with all the fuss that everyone makes about it. "I'll be glad when it's over," he said. "People put too much emphasis on it: it's supposed to be fun." By David Davies in Crans-sur-Sierre

But if Westwood has no desire to talk about the biggest event in the golfing calendar, he has the remedy in his own hands. As soon as he starts to play well on a consistent basis he will be in less demand and, paradoxically, that will be the moment when he will be only too happy to talk about the Ryder Cup.

Yesterday he missed the cut in the European Masters here in the Swiss Alps, as did Ronan Rafferty. As recently as three weeks ago this would not have been a surprise, so badly had the former European number one been playing.

But in the interim he played pretty well in the NEC Invitational in America, managing a top-10 finish on a difficult course. At the time it looked like a huge step towards playing the kind of compelling game he used to play.

Yesterday proved otherwise. Crans is a tricky but not difficult course and in 1999 Westwood won the event. But yesterday's second round of 74, tacked on to a 71, meant that he will not be around for the weekend for the eighth time this season. It also meant he was 14 strokes behind the overnight leader, the Swede Robert Karlsso.

Westwood admitted to being "fairly disappointed" at being three-over for the tournament but added that inconsistency was to be expected of any player working on his game.

"My current goals," he said. "are not to be ready for the Ryder Cup. I'm just trying to get my game right at some point. The Ryder Cup is no place to be with a quarter of your game."

That was confirmed by his playing partner Phillip Price, who is also a worry for the Ryder Cup. The Welshman has had four missed cuts and nothing better than 16th since the US Open in June. "I played a little better last week," he said, "and I'm playing a little better this week. If I can continue next week I'll carry some confidence forward to the Belfry (on September 27th-29th)."

Karlsson was not impressed by some of yesterday's pin positions, believing them to be "a little bit unfair and a little bit overdone". At only 6,857 yards and in the rarefied air, the course needs some protection.

SECOND ROUND SCORES (Brit and Irl unless stated, par 71): (x) denotes amateurs): 131 - R Karlsson (Swe) 65 66; 135 - A Coltart 70 65, K Eriksson (Swe) 68 67; 136 - C Rodiles (Spa) 70 66, P Lawrie 66 70, A Cejka (Ger) 67 69, E Canonica (Ita) 68 68; 137 - P Casey 68 69, P Price 69 68, C Pettersson (Swe) 67 70, T Immelman (Rsa) 70 67, M Cort 72 65; 138 - H Nystrom (Swe) 71 67, B Lane 70 68, S Leaney (Aus) 68 70, H Bjornstad (Nor) 69 69, M Siem (Ger) 71 67, S Walker 73 65, O Karlsson (Swe) 69 69, N Faldo 66 72, F Andersson (Swe) 68 70; 139 - M Roe 73 66, D Park 67 72, G Orr 68 71, S Dyson 69 70, B Dredge 73 66, M Foster 68 71; 140 - J Donaldson 69 71, B Davis 68 72, MA Jimenez (Spa) 67 73, J Moseley (Aus) 72 68, F Jacobson (Swe) 72 68, B Rumford (Aus) 67 73, C Hanell (Swe) 72 68, T Levet (Fra) 69 71, P Sjoland (Swe) 69 71, M Campbell (Nzl) 71 69, R Coles 72 68, A Marshall 72 68; 141 - D Howell 71 70, M Lundberg (Swe) 71 70, J Hugo (Rsa) 70 71, S Hansen (Den) 72 69, S Little 70 71, E Els (Rsa) 70 71, J Milkha Singh (Fij) 71 70, M Tunnicliff 73 68, Ian Garbutt 70 71, Marc Farry (Fra) 70 71; 142 - Ian Poulter 70 72, Mathias Gronberg (Swe) 66 76, I Garrido (Spa) 72 70, R Jacquelin (Fra) 70 72, C Gane 72 70, S Delagrange (Fra) 72 70, M Ilonen (Fin) 74 68, P Hanson (Swe) 70 72, M Olander (Swe) 72 70; 143 - D Edlund (Swe) 72 71, S Gardiner (Aus) 70 73, M Brier (Aut) 72 71, R Goosen (Rsa) 70 73, T Bjorn (Den) 69 74, S Gallacher 71 72, D Drysdale 70 73, S Scahill (Nzl) 73 70, C Stadler (USA) 71 72, J Sandelin (Swe) 77 66, F Valera (Spa) 72 71, S Luna (Spa) 70 73.