Golf: Clarke stakes his claim

Darren Clarke stepped up his challenge at the Via Digital Spanish Open with a 68 for a share of the halfway lead.

Clarke surged through the field with another impressive display of shot-making to finish with a 36-hole total of 135, alongside Roehampton's Andrew Raitt.

Both lay a shot clear of Swedish trio Carl Pettersson, Jarmo Sandelin and Robert Karlsson.

Clarke though will again have been left with the nagging feeling his four-under-par round should have been much better.

Once more he raced out of the blocks with a barrage of birdies, moving to six under par for the day by the 12th hole.

But again, the 32-year-old's putter suddenly ran cold and he bogeyed both remaining par-threes, the 12th and the 17th.

However Clarke, who has not won on the Tour since last June's English Open, was satisfied with his game despite his streaky scoring.

He said: "I did everything I wanted to but it didn't quite come off on the back nine again.

"I got off to a really good start obviously and I hit the ball really well all the way round the back nine as well, so I was a little bit disappointed to finish with 68."

Meanwhile, 31-year-old Raitt, who was in the day's final group, made his move with a six-birdie burst on the front nine.

Starting at the 10th, Raitt went out in level-par 36 but hit form at the turn, picking up shots at the first, second, third, fifth, sixth and seventh.

He briefly held the lead on his own but a bogey at the eighth ensured a 68, and Raitt, who has spent most of the past few seasons ducking in and out of the qualifying school, will be desperate to maintain his form into the weekend.

Earlier Andrew Coltart had revealed his determination to prove himself in September's Ryder Cup after shrugging off the damp morning weather to compile a four-under-par 68.

Beginning the day at three under, Coltart - starting at the 10th - went out in level-par 36 but his surge came midway through the front nine, with birdies at the fourth, fifth and sixth.

A two at the short ninth gave him a 137 total for 36 holes and afterwards Coltart pinpointed the Belfry - where Europe and United States do battle this autumn - as his main inspiration this season.

At the same event in 1999, Coltart made the team but only played one of five matches - he lost three and two to Tiger Woods in the final-day singles - and although he still has no qualms about captain Mark James' decision, he hoped to be able to play a more extensive role his time.

"If I play the Ryder Cup I would like to play three or four matches, not just the final round," the 30-year-old said.

"I don't want to have to rely on the picks (the two available wild cards) either."

Coltart was teamed with Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance for his opening two rounds but denied he had been necessarily out to impress.

He added: "I enjoy playing with Sam, we have played many times, but when we do I feel like I am playing with a friend, not the Ryder Cup captain."

Overnight leader Andrew Oldcorn had begun his second round promisingly enough with two birdies in his first six holes, after starting at the 10th.

But two bogeys and a six at the par-four eighth, alongside a birdie at the short ninth, gave him a one-over score of 73 for a total of 137.