Westwood back in the frame

Lee Westwood still hopes to have something to shout about before he has his tonsils out on Monday – a second European Order of Merit title.

Westwood needs to win the season-ending Volvo Masters at Valderrama to have a chance of pipping Swede Robert Karlsson and a brilliant finish to his rain-delayed second round today re-ignited his challenge.

The man who ended Colin Montgomerie’s seven-year reign as number one in 2000 played the last 11 holes in six under par to climb into a tie for second place, only two behind Dane Soren Kjeldsen.

If Westwood wins the tournament tomorrow Karlsson will have to be second or third to retain top spot on the money list, but a second successive 73 left him joint 22nd as the players went out again for the third round.

Padraig Harrington and Miguel Angel Jimenez also had a chance of the Harry Vardon Trophy entering the event, but Harrington’s hopes were hanging by a thread at five over – he needs a top-two finish – and those of Jimenez, who required victory, looked over after he completed a round of 80 for 11 over.

Less than four hours’ play had been possible on Friday and with more rain falling as the tournament resumed at 8.30am there remained the possibility that it might have to be cut to 54 or even 36 holes.

However, conditions improved and with little or no wind, so did the scoring.

Westwood’s 68 owed something to a stroke of good luck, though.

After coming back from three early bogeys with four birdies in five holes around the turn, he went against his caddie’s advice in trying for the green in two at the long 17th.

The ball was pulled left, but so far left that it stopped on the bank of the lake rather than in the water and from there he chipped to 15 feet and made it.

After adding another birdie at the last he said: “It was my fault. Alastair (McLean) wanted me to hit six iron, but me being me I got the three wood out and hit a terrible shot.

“I played the wrong shot, but I got lucky and got away with it. The key was playing a good chip, I could easily have put it into the water.”