Golf: Singh leads as Euros shine - full report

The Masters at Augusta National, such a happy hunting ground for Europe’s golfers over the last 22 years, was proving so again today.

But it was an even happier place for the one world-class golfer to emerge from the island of Fiji Vijay Singh.

Singh, winner two years ago, returned a sizzling second round 65 highlighted by an eagle on the 500-yard 15th and two closing birdies.

He set a really stiff clubhouse target of 135, nine under par and, with half the field still to finish, led by four.

Until his late flourish Ireland’s Padraig Harrington and Spaniard Sergio Garcia were battling for the lead and, over on the front nine, Jose Maria Olazabal was pressing his claims for a third green jacket.

Harrington added a 70 to his opening 69, but for the second day running it might have been better.

On the opening day the 30-year-old Irishman had dropped back from six under to three under over the closing six holes.

This time he again took six on the long 13th, then after hitting back with birdies on the next two bogeyed the 425-yard 17th.

On five under Harrington was lying joint second with Argentinian Angel Cabrera and US Open champion Retief Goosen.

‘‘You would think a green jacket would suit an Irishman, but we will have to wait and see,’’ joked Harrington.

Cabrera, biggest hitter on the European tour last year, took advantage of his massive length off the tee to birdie the 13th and 15th, but then bogeyed the next.

Goosen, leading money-winner in Europe last season, birdied the second and eighth and was moving smoothly along in pursuit of Singh.

So was defending champion Tiger Woods. In the penultimate group of the day, Woods followed six opening pars with a birdie at the seventh to stand three under and joint eighth.

Harrington, who felt over-cautiousness was responsible for his failure to build on his brilliant start to the tournament, set off again in heavy rain - with an approach to three feet on the 435-yard first.

As conditions improved he gave that gain back by over-shooting the green at the short fourth and being unable to get up and down.

But then he birdied the ninth and 10th, two of the toughened-up holes, before the 510-yard 13th trapped him again.

In the first round he had hit his second into Rae’s Creek. This time he four-putted it from just off the green.

His spirits were back up when he hit a superb approach to the 14th and then lipped out for eagle on the 15th.

But two holes later he hooked into the crowd, could not make the green and then missed from eight feet.

With the soft conditions the opportunity was there for a low score and Dane Thomas Bjorn looked as if he might be the man for it when he birdied the first five holes to charge from two over to three under.

It was the first time in Masters history anyone had opened that well.

However, Bjorn then bogeyed the seventh, 10th and 11th to drop back into the pack before continuing his rollercoaster ride with further birdies on the next three holes.

Nick Faldo, winner of the title three times, almost did a Bjorn, grabbing birdies at four of the first five to reach one under in a curious round which saw most of the field play in three-balls, but Faldo left on his own.

That was caused by the fact that Hal Sutton withdrew before the start yesterday with a side strain and Frank Lickliter joined him on the sidelines this morning because of a hand injury.

Faldo bogeyed the 10th, but saved a good par from the back bunker on the dangerous 12th to remain level par.

Garcia held a share of the lead after grabbing a two at the 205-yard fourth, but although he then bogeyed the 11th he was relieved it cost him only one shot.

The Spaniard’s approach seemed destined for the lake left of the green, but the muddy bank held it.

He also took six on the 13th and after a similar response to Harrington birdies at the next two he bogeyed the short 16th.

Compatriot Miguel Angel Jimenez was going well too, adding a 71 to his initial 70 to stand three under, but there were some European horror stories as well.

Seve Ballesteros, whose wins in 1980 and 1983 had set the European ball rolling in the event, and first British winner Sandy Lyle both shot 81.

It was the worst Masters round of his career for Lyle and equalled the worst for Ballesteros.

They crashed out as did Ian Woosnam, whose hopes had all but gone after an opening 77 in which he nearly quit after nine holes because of back trouble.

Woosnam triple-bogeyed the devilish short 12th in a 78.

Darren Clarke, two under late yesterday, parred every hole on the front nine, but lipped out from short range on the 10th for a bogey which dropped him back alongside Faldo.

Lee Westwood was fighting hard to survive the halfway cut only the top 44 and ties or anybody within 10 strokes of the lead make it at Augusta and a birdie at the long 15th put him two over, just inside the expected cut-off.

Paul McGinley remained level par after four, Bernhard Langer played the outward half in 34 to improve to one under and Colin Montgomerie birdied the second and went to two over. Paul Lawrie was three over after eight.

British amateur champion Michael Hoey desperately wanted to make the cut, but gave himself a stiffer task by hooking his opening drive and bogeying the first.

He was four over as a result, but birdied the ninth and had a great chance to be the first British amateur to win the silver cup as leading amateur.

Some of the biggest roars of the day were for the player lying last 72-year-old Arnold Palmer, of course.

The four-time champion, who managed only an 89 yesterday, had announced this was his final Masters round, indeed his final major championship round.

Palmer bogeyed five of the first six holes, but he was guaranteed a rousing reception on every hole no matter what he scored.