Harrington and McIlroy exit Sawgrass

Lee Westwood soared into the halfway lead at The Players Championship in Florida while Pádraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy both missed the cut.

Europe’s number one, who has been part of the field at Sawgrass only three times in the last seven years, added a sparkling 65 to his opening 67 for a halfway total of 132 which was only two outside Greg Norman’s tournament record.

With Phil Mickelson, the man who pushed him into second place at The Masters, and world number one Tiger Woods deep in the pack, Westwood now looks a good bet for his first win in America since 1998.