Daly first out on course

Defending champion John Daly was one of the first players out on the course after making the cut with nothing to spare.

Daly, whose 27-under-par winning total last year equalled the European Tour record, had to birdie his final hole on Friday to make the cut right on the mark of four under.

The former Open champion felt he needed two rounds of 63 over the weekend to have a faint chance of retaining his title, and he started the right way with a birdie at the first.

At five under he was still eight shots behind the lead held by English trio Poulter, Spence and Bland, and with the bright sun burning off the mist, another day of low scoring looked on the cards.