Donald is the master but Davies suffers birthday blues

Former Walker Cup player Davies, who has already won in his first full season on the European Tour, was tied for the lead with two holes of his second round to play.

But a bogey on the short 17th robbed him of top spot and he then missed a nine-foot birdie chance at the last on a day which saw Sergio Garcia miss his first halfway cut on European soil for nearly six years.

"I was a little disappointed the way I finished. I thought I could have got the lead on my own, but. all in all. I'm not going to complain," said Davies. "I'm right in with a shout."

A week after losing the BMW PGA Championship by a shot, Donald leads on 12 under par after adding a 67 to his opening 65. Alone of the three first round leaders to have a morning start, Donald went six clear of the field when he turned in 31 and then added further birdies on the second and sixth. But he three-putted the seventh and bogeyed the seventh.

"It's hard to play perfect golf for four days, but the two bogeys were not really bad shots and I feel like I have a lot better control with my irons this week," said the 32-year-old, who despite being 13th in the world has not had a win in Europe for six years and anywhere for four.

"I keep knocking at the door and hopefully it will open soon. I feel like I should have won a few in the last few years, but I'm in a great position here."

Davies was on the practice putting green when he saw Donald's score, but promptly went out in 33 and, after stumbling with a bogey six at the tenth, had three more birdies in four holes.

Two shots further back in third place is Davies' compatriot Jamie Donaldson. He was the other man to open with a 65, but could add "only" a 70.

Garcia, level par overnight, knew he needed to find form in a hurry after finding water with his second shot and resuming with a double bogey seven. He did manage six birdies, but five bogeys followed as well to leave him with a 73 and one-over aggregate.

Ulsterman Graeme McDowell, who began the week discovering that he did not have to qualify for the US Open or Open, is in fourth spot on eight under after a second successive 68.

The 30-year-old, who chipped in for eagle on the opening day, holed a 113-yard pitch for another at his very first hole, but gave up two late shots just like Donald. "I don't have to worry about the top 50 any more and it's like a weight lifted off my shoulders," he said.

German Martin Kaymer, at 11th in the world the highest-ranked player in the field, had an adventure on the tenth hole. He was unsure whether his approach had carried the lake, but discovered it on the bank and after removing one shoe and sock and rolling up his trouser leg he played a superb recovery to six feet and made the birdie putt to improve to two under.

Former French Open champion Graeme Storm felt a whole lot better after charging from one over to seven under with a course-record 64.

New Zealander Michael Campbell's woes continued when he quit after nine holes with shoulder trouble. The 2005 US Open champion was ten over and still has not made a cut since last October.

Former Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley, one behind after his first day 67, fell back to four under with a 74.