Westwood stays in the hunt

GOLF EUROPEAN TOUR NEWS:IN HIS own words Lee Westwood was "shattered" and "running on empty" yesterday. But it did not ruin his hopes of making a successful defence of the Quinn Insurance British Masters at The Belfry.

After a fog delay of more than three hours - long enough to make him miss his daughter Poppy playing a scarecrow in a harvest festival - Westwood added a 70 to his opening 68 for a six-under-par total of 138.

When play was called off for the day on "Pink Friday" - the players were helping to raise money for breast cancer charities - he led in the clubhouse by one from Scotland's Marc Warren, Spaniard Alejandro Canizares and Thai Thongchai Jaidee.

Among those still to complete their second rounds, however, was Jeev Milkha Singh, also six under with six holes to go after becoming the third player in the day to have a hole-in-one.

Like England's Phillip Archer, and the Indian aced the 177-yard seventh, while Spaniard Alvaro Quiros sank his tee shot to the 208-yard 12th.

All three were given a magnum of champagne, but on Sunday nearest the pin at the 12th wins a Jaguar car.

Colin Montgomerie improved 12 strokes on his opening 81, but on six over was looking at his seventh missed cut of the season, while Darren Clarke is heading for an early exit as well at seven over with seven to play.

One of only two members of last week's beaten Ryder Cup team playing in the event - Graeme McDowell is the other and after a tired-looking 75 for three over he had to wait until the morning to discover whether he had made the cut - Westwood has a great opportunity to close in on Padraig Harrington at the top of the Order of Merit.

An Order of Merit that could have added spice to it next season when the likes of Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh, the number two and three players in the world, could be involved.

Next year's money-list race culminates in the Dubai World Championship, golf's richest-ever event with a prize fund of €6.8million.

To be eligible for that, however, players have to become European Tour members, and as things stand have to compete in at least 11 events.

Family man Westwood, who has given up his US Tour membership, will welcome it if some of the game's leading lights also alter their schedules to fit in more European-counting tournaments.

Told that the average tour player might be less pleased, he replied: "The average tour player will just have to practise harder." He pointed out there were benefits for the circuit because the world ranking points go up the more top players there are in the fields.

Westwood mixed two birdies with three bogeys in his first five holes, but a hat-trick of birdies at the start of the front nine shot him up the leaderboard.

"I would hope to play better tomorrow," he said. "I made a big effort and my scrambling was good. I've worked hard on my short game and when I'm feeling a bit lethargic it can get me out of a bit of trouble."

McDowell was unable to reproduce his form of last week in Louisville. "I don't know how to deal with this 'come down' feeling. Lee has learned how to deal with things better than I have," commented the Ulsterman.

"Physically, I'm probably not all there, but mentally, definitely - if last week was 11 out of 10 then I'm five out of 10 this week."

Rory McIlroy is on level par with five holes to play while Paul McGinley added a second 73 for a 146 total. Peter Lawrie is on three over after 10 holes but Damien McGrane, eight over after 10, Gary Murphy on 154, and David Higgins on 159 will miss the cut.