Paul Lawrie keeps Olazabal at bay

Paul Lawrie did not have to look far today for a real threat to his hopes of winning the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.

Playing partner Jose Maria Olazabal birdied the first three holes of his second round to move into a share of second place on four under par.

Lawrie, seeking his first title since 2002 and battling to save his European Tour card with his 10-year exemption for winning the Open expiring in November, stretched his lead to two strokes, however, by matching Olazabal’s three on the 12th hole.

Olazabal has been having his own fight with more rheumatic pains and is unable to practise as much as he would like, but they say that class is permanent and it came shining through in the windy conditions.

Also making an early move was 18-year-old Danny Lee, the New Zealander who became the Tour’s youngest event winner in February.

Lee, an amateur when he captured the Johnnie Walker Classic near Perth in Australia, came back from an opening bogey on the 10th with a hat-trick of birdies to be in the group on three under.