Nearly-man Wilson in promising position

Oliver Wilson defied the rain, the cold and a couple of injuries today to keep alive his hopes of finally registering his first European Tour victory.

A runner-up no fewer than eight times – five of them in the last 18 months - Wilson added a 68 to his opening 66 for a 10-under-par halfway total in the 3 Irish Open at Co. Louth.

Doubtful before the start because of neck trouble and a chest inflammation called costro-chondritis, the Ryder Cup player was the early clubhouse leader with Swede Johan Edfors and Dane Soren Kjeldsen.

Lee Westwood was only one behind after grabbing six birdies in eight holes, but Italian Francesco Molinari, who broke the course record with his opening 63, remained eight under with three to play and had missed a chance to spreadeagle the field.

At least he was still in. Michael Hoey disqualified himself after the discovery that he had been carrying a 15th club – one too many – in his bag. He was two under at the time.

The Portuguese Open champion came across it during his second round, but instead of merely having to add penalty strokes he knew he could not continue because he had signed for a wrong first-round score.

“I just realised before I was about to hit a shot that underneath all of the wet gear in my bag was an extra club.

“I always have a rescue club and two-iron with me every week, but I just presumed my caddie knew that I wouldn’t be taking the rescue because of this course.

“It wasn’t taken out – it’s partly my fault, partly his I would say. We didn’t even discuss it.

“It’s so stupid and I can’t believe it because I was playing well and trying to get moving up the leaderboard.”

Padraig Harrington’s first task on his return – not by helicopter any more because of the weather – was to make sure he survived the halfway cut and by improving from one over to two under with two to go he was doing just enough.

To everybody’s relief the weather was starting to improve – but it needed to.

So bad was the rain that public car parks in fields were closed and fans were redirected instead to retail shopping centres, from where shuttle buses were laid on.

American star John Daly had to wait to see if he had done enough to qualify for the last two rounds, but an 18-foot closing birdie putt might just have saved him.

After two early double bogeys, last week’s Italian Open runner-up recovered somewhat for a 75, having opened with a 68.