Clarke shows patience to move into contention

There's compelling evidence of a generation gap evolving on the European Tour, and nowhere was the diversity more obvious than in the future plans espoused by those towards the top end of the leaderboard after yesterday's second round of the Smurfit European Open here at The K Club.

While leader Mikael Lundberg, a young Swede with a ruddy complexion, could be seen pushing his one-year-old baby around the vicinity of the clubhouse in a buggy with his day's work complete, and talked of providing for his family's future, Ian Woosnam - who along with Henrik Bjornstad lies three shots adrift heading into the weekend - was casting his mind ahead to when he could spend his time following rugby tours as a well-heeled fan.

Yesterday, Woosie was asked if he would recognise Lundberg - a product of the Challenge Tour - if he were to walk into a room. "No," admitted the Welshman, "but I have seen him on television." This afternoon, he'll get to see him up close as the two will provide the final pairing of the third round; although both men are likely to be aware of those gathering with intent in the background.

Among those eyeing the title is Darren Clarke. For the second day running, Clarke created a card that featured nothing worse than a par - the only player to complete 36-holes without dropping a shot - and such frugality was rewarded with a round of 68, highlighted by a finishing eagle, that moved him into fourth place on eight-under-par 136.

"No bogey in 36-holes! That's a pretty impressive statistic for a course playing as difficult as this," remarked Clarke, one of four Irishmen to survive the cut when it fell on one-over-par 145. Padraig Harrington had three birdies in his last four holes for 67 and a midway aggregate of seven-under-par 137; Eamonn Darcy had a 69 for 144, while Damien McGrane had an anxious afternoon before discovering he survived on the mark.

Another to endure an anxious wait was defending champion Lee Westwood, but he too made it, right on the cut - and the main casualties were Jose Maria Olazabal, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Justin Rose and Paul McGinley. In all, 91 players survived into the weekend, the most competitors to make a cut on the tour so far this season.

No Irish player has managed to win the European Open since its inception 23 years ago, but Clarke and Harrington have manoeuvred their way into strong challenging positions. For Clarke, the key to his round was patience. "It's good for me to go out and shoot 68 when I am not firing on all cylinders," said Clarke, who often went for the middle of the green rather than getting too ambitious by going for the flag.

Having got what he deemed a society outing time last Saturday morning in the Irish Open, Clarke was happier with his late tee-time in this third round. "At least I can enjoy the Robbie Williams concert and watch the Lions," he said. Clarke got off to a flying start with birdies at the second and fourth but had to bide his time with 13 straight pars before a five-wood approach of 231 yards at the last to 10 feet set him up for a closing eagle.

Harrington, meanwhile, had two dropped shots - at the first, his 10th - when he was too aggressive with his first putt from 25 feet and rushed it eight feet past the hole and missed the one back and then at the fifth, his 14th, where he overhit the green. Otherwise, it was an impressive round that featured seven birdies, the longest from 20 feet, his ninth.

"I got better as the round progressed." claimed Harrington. "I couldn't ask for more really, it is right in there in the hunt for the weekend." The Dubliner lies in a three-way tie for fifth with Michael Campbell and Paul Casey at the midway stage.

Elsewhere, Colin Montgomerie was forced to show some customary resilience to recover from a front nine that included a double-bogey six at the ninth on the way to an outward total three-over 38 but then came back to finish the day where he had started, on four-under.

But Lundberg, who demonstrated his liking for Irish parkland courses by taking runners-up position in last year's North West Open at the Slieve Russell, was the player who refused to be intimidate by a course that has shown a tough streak it lacked in previous years. In his first full year on the circuit, he has notched up three top-10 finishes. But nothing compared to the heights he finds himself in going into the final two rounds here. "Hopefully I will shoot two rounds in the 60s and see what happens," he said.

Woosnam's philosophy was that of a old dog who has been around for a while. "I went and hit balls for half an hour yesterday and woke up with a stiff back this morning. Tonight, I'll just go and have a couple of pints. It'll be easier. If I don't know how to swing the club now, I never will."