Ireland's Darren Clarke is two shots off the lead at the halfway stage of the Volvo Masters in Jerez. Clarke, hoping to return to the top of the Order of Merit after this weekend, shot a second round of 69 to leave him at seven under par along with Fredrik Jacobson and Stephen Leaney. In the lead is Pierre Fulke who maintained his good run in Jerez with a second round of 68 to leave him at nine under. One shot behind him is Jose Maria Olazabel at eight under. Colin Montgomerie, needing a victory to keep his hopes of winning a record-breakding eighth consectuive Order of Merit title alive, finished today at six under par, shooting a spectacular hole-in-one at the 174-yard 14th. Lee Westwood, the current Order of Merit leader is one over after completing his second round in a score of 69, a great improvement on yesterday's opening round of 76.
Clarke however, it not worried by the fact that Montgomerie is breathing down his neck. "I'm too long in the tooth to be intimidated by anybody. You know how volatile I am, but I feel very comfortable and the last I felt so much at ease at La Costa (where he beat Tiger Woods)," he said.
The other Irish players participating in Jerez have all completed their second rounds. At the half-way stage, Padraig Harrington is three under, Paul McGinley one under and Ronan Rafferty is three over.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
