Levet clings to lead at British Open

Thomas Levet is today clinging on to a slender lead in the second round of the British Open championship at Royal Troon.

Levet shared the lead overnight on five under par with Paul Casey and still headed the field after seven hours’ play as a strengthening wind kept the challengers at bay.

Levet is about to tee off while Casey has dropped to three under par after three holes.

Earlier New Zealand’s Michael Campbell twice made it a three-way tie at the top with birdies at the first and seventh but also had two bogeys in a round of 71 to set the clubhouse target at four under.

That was matched by Fiji’s Vijay Singh who added a 70 to his opening 68, and one ahead of former Masters champion Mike Weir who had a hat-trick of birdies from the fifth in his 68 – US Open champion Retief Goosen who returned a 70, and American Kenny Perry who birdied four of the last five holes in his 70.

Paul McGinley is enjoying his round so far and is three under after nine holes.

In contrast Darren Clarke bogeyed the 16th and 17th in a disappointing 72 which left him one under par.

The Ulsterman, who also double bogeyed the 18th on Thursday when his approach bounced through the green and out of bounds, admitted: “I’ve certainly left an awful lot of shots out there.”

Tiger Woods also carded two bogeys, on the seventh and ninth, which cancelled out earlier birdies at the fourth and sixth to leave him one under par after a 71.

“I’m very happy with the way I played,” said Woods, who would lose his status as world number one for the first time since August 1999 if he finished lower than 17th on Sunday and Ernie Els lifted the Claret Jug.

Lee Westwood carded a 72 to remain one over alongside Ian Poulter who, dressed in a more conservative outfit than his controversial Union Jack trousers of yesterday, came home in 34 for a 72.

Ernie Els remained two under par after two holes.

Irish amatuer Brian McElhinney is 11 over after 17 holes while Daniel Sugrue if four over after 15 holes.

Graeme McDowell and Padraig Harrington are yet to start their second rounds.