It's all gloom for Howell

From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Saturday 21st Jan 2006.

Pre-tournament favourite Vijay Singh and world number 11 Chris DiMarco led the big-name charge up the leaderboard as the conditions improved on the second day of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.

But things did not improve for Swindon Ryder Cup star David Howell, who failed to make the cut.

DiMarco in particular looked to reassert himself after he, and some of the other stars, struggled as the wind blew yesterday and he carded a five-under-round of 67.

World number two Singh shot a solid 70 to leave the pair on six under, but they still find themselves three shots off the overnight lead held by South Africa's Charl Schwartzel.

Soren Hansen, of Denmark, and Argentinian Ricardo Gonzalez are a shot behind Schwartzel, while Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee is on seven under.

Colin Montgomerie, in a group of players at five under that also includes world number six Sergio Garcia, made the most of the more favourable weather to card a 68 to move to four under.

Schwartzel's six-under round of 66 was helped by an eagle at the par-five 10th, as well as five birdies, to equal the course record set yesterday by Keith Horne.

Hansen, playing in his first tournament in eight weeks, recorded seven birdies in his round of 66.

Gonzalez, meanwhile, matched his opening round of 68 but spurned the chance of a share of the overnight lead when he two-putted the 18th.

"I should really have just tried to forget where I was in the tournament and just concentrated on the hole," he explained.

Stressing the more benign nature of the course with less of a breeze, DiMarco added: "It was a lot easier today, yesterday was really hard. It didn't blow as hard, especially down the first 11 or so holes.

"It was probably a good 10mph less at its highest point today than it was yesterday."

DiMarco's fellow American John Daly never recovered from three dropped shots in four holes on the front nine and missed the cut.

Dane Thomas Bjorn enjoyed a better day too after posting a 68, despite squandering opportunities on the greens to turn pars into more than the five birdies he made.

David Lynn was the best-placed Englishman, shooting his second successive 69 in a five-birdie-strong round that leaves him at six under with Singh, DiMarco, Miguel Angel Jimenez, of Spain, Swede Henrik Stenson and France's Gregory Havret.

Stoke-based Lynn's day contrasted markedly with that of Ryder Cup hopefuls David Howell, the European Order of Merit leader, and Kenneth Ferrie, who both slumped out of the tournament.

The pair endured two poor days, Howell hitting just the one birdie in his round of 75, while Ferrie was error-ridden, dropping five shots to miss the level-par cut with a seven-over 79.

Paul Casey managed to prolong his weekend with a birdie at the 18th to scrape in, and Ian Poulter's three-under 69 keeps him just about in the hunt for victory on Sunday.

South African Darren Fischardt aced the 161-yard fourth hole.

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