Christy O'Connor Jnr displayed to the Americans how he can really play the game when the chips are down in Florida yesterday.

After shooting a four over par 76 on Thursday, the 1992 British Masters Champion kept himself in the hunt for a good finish in this, the second of the four senior major championships in the United States, by firing a superb one under par 71, yesterday to stand at three over for the tournament on 147, comfortably inside the projected cut score of 150.

A second birdie of the day at the 12th saw O'Connor go to two under for the round, but at the 14th he visited the water, dropping his only shot. "I should have burned the place up today," was the weary comment as he left the scorers trailer having endured 90 degree heat.

Northern Ireland's Eddie Polland returned a second round 73 and is on one over par 145 but his fellow countryman David Jones slumped to a 77 and missed the cut.