Faldo in the swing

What had threatened to be the worst major season of Nick Faldo’s long career took on a different complexion at Whistling Straits today.

The 47-year-old, who missed the halfway cut in the Masters, United States Open and Open, went to the turn in a spectacular 32 strokes in the second round of the US PGA championship.

At four under par, Faldo had climbed into a share of ninth place in what is his 90th major appearance.

Overnight leader Darren Clarke was among the later starters on day two – and Briny Baird, a 32-year-old American playing just his seventh major and with a best finish of 22nd in them, took over at the top.

Baird, as little-known internationally as last two Open champions Ben Curtis and Todd Hamilton and last year’s PGA winner Shaun Micheel, improved from four under to nine under. But when he bogeyed the 15th – at 518 yards the longest par four in major history – he was only one ahead of Clarke.

Phil Mickelson – first, second and third in the opening three majors of the year – had climbed menacingly into a tie for third with Ernie Els and Justin Leonard, yet to resume, but England’s Luke Donald lost ground.

Pressing hard for a Ryder Cup debut after his maiden European tour victory in Sweden two weeks ago, Donald had posted an opening 67 – and, in the second group of the day at 7.10am, had to wait only three holes for a birdie which put him right on Clarke’s heels.

Then came eight pars in a row, no mean feat with the cool wind and tees pushed back after yesterday’s unexpectedly low scoring. But the former Walker Cup star, in contention for a major for the first time, bogeyed the two par threes on the front nine, the 181-yard third and and 221-yard seventh.

Faldo, who missed the event last year, needed a special invitation to return - and he made the most of it by picking up strokes at the 10th, 11th, 15th and 16th.

Paul McGinley, hero of the Ryder Cup victory two years ago and determined to make the team again, reached four under as well but then dropped all the way back to level par withbogeys at the seventh and eighth and then a double bogey on the 361-yard 10th.

Colin Montgomerie, currently needing a wild card to be part of the European side once more, Scott Drummond and Justin Rose were on the same mark – all with six to play. Drummond was playing with a marker after the withdrawals of playing partners Dudley Hart and Frank Lickliter with back trouble.

Ian Woosnam required a miracle to survive the cut after an opening 79 and with one to go stood nine over.

Later interest centred not only on Clarke and whether Ernie Els and Vijay Singh, six under and five under overnight, could make a move but whether Tiger Woods – the player that pair are trying to unseat as world number one – could make the cut.

Woods was down in joint 104th after an opening 75 and had to climb into the top 70. He was three over, and the axe was likely to fall at around two over.