Daly's in the hunt

John Daly made his considerable presence felt again on the European tour today.

After 11 holes of his second round in the Benson and Hedges International Open at The Belfry the American star was in joint second place with playing partner Angel Cabrera, two behind Mansfield’s Greg Owen.

Daly this season became a member of the European circuit - a decision based on the success he has had in the past.

He won his second major title in the Open at St Andrews in 1995, was third in the Scottish Open last July and then two months later ended six years without a win by capturing the BMW International in Munich.

The 36-year-old, now back in the world’s top 50 after falling outside the top 500 two years ago as he battled with alcohol and gambling addictions, resumed this morning on two under par.

Birdies at the 10th and 17th were his only deviations from par on the back nine and then he birdied the 379-yard second as well to reach five under.

Daly appeared to have shrugged off any lingering jet-lag and the shock of being told he had suffered a mini-stroke last Saturday.

The heavy smoker was taken to hospital for tests when his left leg and left hand went numb, but they revealed he had suffered a reaction to diet pills he was taking.

‘‘It scared me to death,’’ he admitted.

Owen was holding his own out in front, though, picking up shots at the first and third to be three clear before bogeying the next.

Two recent third place finishes - and the memory of leading the Open at Lytham for a while last year were boosting the 30-year-old’s confidence as he continued his search for his first European tour win.

Cabrera and Daly are the two biggest hitters in golf now that Tiger Woods has toned down his power a touch and the Argentine moved alongside Daly with a brilliant eagle three on the 538-yard third.

It was Ian Woosnam who was in second place when he teed off again, but while the Welshman once more birdied the long 17th and treacherous 473-yard 18th - he was less than four feet from the flag in two there - he had bogeyed the 13th and 16th.

When another came on the third he was down to joint fourth place with former Ryder Cup partner Peter Baker winless on tour since 1993 - Londoner Anthony Wall, Chesterfield’s David Carter and Australian Peter O’Malley.

Two members of this September’s cup side were back in the hunt, Padraig Harrington and Colin Montgomerie both standing three under after 12 and 11 holes respectively.

Harrington, disqualified from the event for a scorecard blunder when five shots clear two years ago, did not have a bogey in the first 27 holes, but after then having two in a row he matched Cabrera’s eagle at the third.

Montgomerie, with South African Jason Henning his new caddie after a parting of the way with fellow Scot Alastair McLean, birdied the 16th and 18th.

Nick Faldo, playing with his former Ryder Cup partner Woosnam, was in severe danger of missing the halfway cut when he bogeyed the 16th and 17th again to be three over.

But he birdied the next two and at one over was on the likely cut-off mark a figure which looked certain to claim Lee Westwood’s scalp later in the day after his opening 79.