Donald enjoys share of lead in Germany

Luke Donald carded an “easy-going” 65 to share the lead at the halfway stage of the BMW International Open in Munich.

Donald fired seven birdies and no bogeys in a flawless second round at Nord-Eichenried, narrowly missing a 10ft eagle putt on the last to claim the outright lead.

The Ryder Cup star’s 12-under total of 132 left him alongside overnight joint leader Brett Rumford, with Simon Khan and Angel Cabrera a shot behind.

“It was one of those fun days to play golf, an easy-going round where I never got in much trouble,” said Donald, who will defend his European Masters title in Switzerland next week when qualifying for the 2006 Ryder Cup begins.

“I didn’t think the course would suit me but the rough is a little thicker than it has been and it’s wet because of all the rain so accuracy off the tee is more of a factor than you would have thought.”

That of course plays into the 27-year-old’s hands and he will be hoping he can turn a share of the halfway lead into a first win of the season.

The former Walker Cup star was in the same position in the NEC Invitational last week alongside Tiger Woods, but a third-round 74 cost him any chance of victory.

“I played very nicely last week and was very close to winning if not for the third round,” said Donald, who admitted he was feeling slightly under the weather in his fourth tournament in a row.

“The 18th hole also cost me, I was four over for that hole for the week and only lost by three to Tiger but I brought that confidence over with me to Munich.”

Donald’s Ryder Cup team-mate David Howell is among a group of four players just two shots off the lead, the Swindon golfer three-putting the par-five ninth, his closing hole, for par in a 68.

“It was a frustrating way to finish but I was lucky my second shot bounced over the ditch so I suppose it evens out,” said Howell, looking to add to his solitary European Tour victory in the Dubai Desert Classic six years ago.

“I played really nicely and gave myself lots of chances but didn’t take many of them. If I can just turn it up a little notch over the weekend I should be in good shape.”

Howell is playing only his third event since suffering an abdominal injury at the US Open in June, but after missing the cut in the USPGA championship on his return to action, finished sixth in the NEC Invitational in Akron last week.

That moved him into one of the last two qualifying places for next month’s HSBC World Match Play championship at Wentworth, which offers £1million to the winner – the richest prize in golf.

“The ambition this week was to qualify for the match play and things are going well on that front,” added the 30-year-old, who will seal his place in the 16-man field with a top-10 finish here, even if Ian Poulter – three off the lead on nine under – wins on Sunday.

“Then the Ryder Cup points start next week and that is going to be my main aim. Hopefully I can do it in the best possible way by winning tournaments and I’m fully aware there are some big ones coming up. That is why getting in the match play is a lovely bonus.”

Those were not quite the words Poulter chose to describe the news that money won at Wentworth counts towards the Ryder Cup – “pathetic” was his verdict - but Howell was more diplomatic.

“Not all the money counts (the top prize of £1million is reduced to £400,000 for example) but it is still a head start on a lot of the guys,” added Howell, who lost play-offs in the British Masters and Irish Open in consecutive weeks earlier this season.

“I’m sure if I manage to win two or three matches I won’t be knocking it. We golfers are all like that. If we’re involved we think it’s great, if we’re not we think it’s terrible.”