The overnight leader of the BMW PGA Championship Danny Willett of England carded three birdies in the first four holes to set the pace at 9 under at one point. But two dropped shots on 5 and 7 brought him back to 7 under – one shot ahead of the club house leader, Luke Donald. But a three over par 39 on the back nine left him 5 under on Friday and in a three-way tie for second place with fellow Englishman Ross Fisher and James Kingston of South Africa.
A round of 68 by Luke Donald was enough to post the lead ahead of Saturday at 6 under topping the leader board out right pushing the cut out to 3 over – which benefited a few of the Irish players hovering on the projected cut of 1 over.
Three time major winner Padraig Harrington was the best of the Irish field following a round of 67 with two birdies either side of the run to push him back into the chase after the misery of Thursday.
Next best was Meath man Damien McGrane who went one under after three holes reaching half way on 34 and only dropping one shot on the back nine to finish on 71.
Graeme McDowell reached the 10th in 36 shots having bogeyed the 3rd and 9th with only one birdie on the 4th to recover a shot. A bogey on 12 was corrected with a birdie on 13 and was followed by another birdie on 16 to finish one under for the day and one under for the tournament.
Rory McIlroy was the first of the Irish players to finish on day two and reached the thirteenth hole on 4 under. But a double bogey on the par four 15th and then a bogey on the 16th left him waiting anxiously for a while when the projected cut of was 1 over. In the end he was safely through to the weekend.
Gareth Maybin reversed some of the good work from Thursday by reaching the turn in 37 after bogeys on holes 6 and 8. With two more dropped shots on the 10th and 13th holes he also fell close to one over par for the first two rounds hovering on the cut having signed for a 75.
Shane Lowry finished on 1 over for the day courtesy of a double bogey on the 17th having made the half way under par with a 34.
Paul McGinley was through four holes dropping shots on the 3rd and 5th hole with one birdie on 4 to complete the front nine in 35. But a two over par back nine left him signing for a73 and put 2 over for the tournament..
Pewter Lawrie remained level all day making up for mistakes with birdies until reaching the 18th where a costly triple bogey left him 2 over for the tournament and on the verge of going out only for the revised cut.
Darren Clarke opened with a birdie and then bogeyed 3 and 4 with a triple bogey to follow on the par three 8th hole to put him under pressure at the turn. Then a double bogey on 18 left him signing for a 10 over and a short drive home to Sunningdale for a free weekend.
David Higgins was 12 over after playing 15 holes trading birdies and bogeys to make the turn in 35. But three dropped shots on the back nine pushed the Waterville man well down the leader board and a missed cut as he returned from the Irish PGA region to the main Tour for the first time in a year.
Michael Hoey of Ballymoney withdrew from the tournament on Thursday.
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