Harrington buoys Ryder hopes

There was even more good news for Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam today when Padraig Harrington spectacularly stormed into a four-shot lead in the Madrid Masters.

The day after Darren Clarke marked his long-awaited return with a four-under-par 68 to be in contention and America’s top guns Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk were beaten at the HSBC World Match Play at Wentworth, Harrington added a 65 to his opening 67 after pitching in for an eagle two on his final hole.

Beaten only in a play-off at the BMW International Open in Munich two weeks ago, the Dubliner’s final warm-up event for Ireland’s first staging of the Ryder Cup saw him on 12 under par at halfway.

His nearest challengers were defending champion Raphael Jacquelin and Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.

Clarke and Jose Maria Olazabal, the other two members of the European side taking part, were among the later starters.