Scottish Open: John Daly overcomes early setback to remain in touch

Published on Friday 9 July 2010 14:19

JOHN DALY overcame the loss of a ball with his very first shot of the day to maintain his challenge for the Barclays Scottish Open at a wet Loch Lomond today.

Wearing yet more psychedelic trousers despite the miserable conditions, the 1995 Open champion resumed two behind Darren Clarke and carved his drive into the trees.

A five-minute search could not find it, but on returning to the tee Daly birdied with his second ball and so dropped only one shot on the hole.

He also bogeyed the short 17th, but thanks to birdies on the 15th, 18th and first the 44-year-old, keen on the 500,000 first prize to help him pay a tax bill back home for nearly 700,000, reached five under par.

And that was only one off the lead. Clarke three-putted the short 11th, his second hole of the day, but birdied the next and at six under was joined by Ireland's Damien McGrane.

Both are seeking the one place on offer into next week's Open at St Andrews and McGrane birdied both the par fives on the front nine, the third and sixth, and would have led on his own but for a bogey at the fourth.

Masters champion Phil Mickelson, who needs a top-two finish to unseat Tiger Woods as world number one, was still six behind after seven holes of his second round.

Mickelson, who has spent more than 250 weeks just below Woods without ever toppling him, bogeyed the 415-yard 12th, but got the shot back two holes later.

Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie looked likely missing a second successive cut when he stood four over with nine to go.

Joint third with Daly were Swede Peter Hedblom, England's Graeme Storm and Italian Edoardo Molinari.