MONTGOMERIE AND WARREN MISS
THE CUT IN HSBC CHAMPIONS

Scotland's World Cup pairing of Colin Montgomerie and Marc Warren missed the halfway cut in the HSBC Champions tournament at Shanghai, China today.

Those players with 149 or better will be playing the final two rounds - but the Scots missed it by two and five shots respectively. Monty shot 73 and 78 for 151, Warren 75 and 79 for 154.
American Kevin Stadler fired a three-under-par 69 and grabbed a one stroke lead over compatriot Phil Mickelson.
Stadler, with four wins on the Nationwide Tour on his CV - not quite as many as his more famous father Craig has scored worldwide, took a one-stroke lead with an 11-under-par 133 total.
Three-time Major winner Mickelson reduced the deficit with birdies on the last three holes for a bogey free 66 at the Sheshan International Golf Club.
Asian Tour’s Scots-born Simon Yates also had a 66 to share third position with Englishman Ross Fisher who carded a 68 in the US$5 million event. Fijian stalwart Vijay Singh posted a 70 four strokes off the pace together with South African Andrew McLardy who recorded a 69 in joint fifth place.
Overnight leader Niclas Fasth of Sweden slipped to tied seventh spot after a 75.
Stadler, who has won two international titles, remained calm on course and enjoyed a strong finish with an eagle at the par four 16th hole coupled with a birdie on the final 18th hole.
“The eagle was great. It was a matter of luck really. I don't really like laying back there, and I hit driver and pitched just short of the green and popped up. I was trying to get it around the green and very lucky to get it on and had about 20 feet and knocked it in,” said Stadler, who won the 2006 Johnnie Walker Classic.
“I was happy to be where I am at right now, but obviously I'm going to have to go forward to keep progressing. The wind was pretty strong, pretty fresh all day long. I thought the pins were a lot tougher today, noticeably tougher. Just very happy to shoot the score I did. I was kind of plodding along at even par most of the day and I was able to get a few late to make it a good round,” admitted the American talent, who shot an eagle, three birdies against two bogeys for the day.
World number two Mickelson, with 32 wins on the US PGA Tour, crept up behind Stadler thanks to a solid run in the closing stages with birdies on the 14th, 16th , 17th and 18th holes.
“It was a good day today. It started off very windy. Towards the end, though, it seemed to calm down a little bit, and it was nice to finish with a couple of birdies. I made a few putts coming in and that feels good heading into the weekend.
“I struggled last week driving the golf ball, and today and yesterday I drove it very well and I kept it in play. If I missed, I missed it in a place I was still able to play from. I think that was the biggest element because I was able to play aggressive and try to make birdies. I didn't have a bogey today which was a good thing, too,” said the left-hander, who carded six birdies in the second round.
Yates, who is enjoying a solid season on the Asian Tour with six top-10 finishes, remained in contention as he carded seven birdies against a lone dropped shot and was three strokes behind the leader.
“I played really, really well. I hit fairways. I hit a lot of greens just like yesterday, I think I missed two greens yesterday and two greens today. So tee‑to‑green, I've been playing really nicely.
“It’s a course that suits my eye. Like last week in Singapore, I missed the cut three years in a row there and nothing suits my eye there. But here, I hit a lot of fairways and just feel good over the ball when standing and looking at the golf course.
“I feel like it's not playing overly difficult, but to be fair I've driven the ball extremely well the first two days. So if you drive it well around here, you're going to score well because the rough is pretty penal,” said Yates, who is also an avid race-car driver.
A total of 67 players with 36-hole tallies of 149 or better made the cut for the weekend.
LEADING QUALIFIERS FOR WEEKEND
Par 144 (2 x 72)
133 Kevin Stadler (US) 64 69.
134 Phil Mickelson (US) 68 66.
136 Ross Fisher (Eng) 68 68, Simon Yates (Sco) 70 66.
137 Vijay Singh (Fiji) 67 70, Andrew Mclardy (SAf) 68 69.
139 Niclas Fasth (Swe) 64 75, Paul Casey (Eng) 68 71, Steve Webster (Eng) 69 70, Frankie Minoza (Phi) 69 70, Louis Oosthuizen (SAf) 71 68, Yang Yong-eun (Kor) 71 68.
140 Padraig Harrington (Ire) 68 72, Angel Cabrera (Arg) 68 72, Richard Sterne (SAf) 68 72, Brett Rumford (Aus) 69 71, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 70 70.
141 Liang Wen-chong (China) 69-72, Nick Dougherty (Eng) 71-70, Nathan Green (Australia) 73-68.
142 Scott Sterling (Australia) 69-73, Markus Brier (Austria) 69-73, Chapchai Nirat (Thailand) 69 73, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 70-72, Anders Hansen (Den) 70-72.

Other scores:
144 Lee Westwood (Eng) 70 74, Ernie Els (SAf) 75 69.
145 Sergio Garcia (Spa) 73 72.
146 Bradley Dredge (Wal) 73 73.
148 Ian Poulter (Eng0 70 78.
MISSED THE CUT (at 149)
151 Colin Montgomerie (Sco) 73 78.
154 Marc Warren (Sco) 75 79.