Monty and Lawrie fail to beat cut in Italian Open

Argentine big-hitter Daniel shows he

can putt with the best of them

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Argentina's Daniel Vancsik moved into a one-stroke lead at the BMW Italian Open in Turin after an impressive second round display.
Vancsik added a 65 to his opening 68 for a nine-under-par aggregate while Northern Ireland's Gareth Maybin, three clear after his opening course record 64, slipped to second place with a 70.
Vancsik has not had a top 20 finish on the European Tour for almost a year, but that does not mean he will not win - he went eight months without one before capturing the Madeira Islands Open in 2007.
The 32-year-old is known for his big hitting, but it was his putter that was his most impressive weapon when he returned to Royal Park I Roveri four behind Maybin.
In grabbing five birdies in six holes around the turn he holed twice from 20 feet and also converted a 25 foot chance.
"When I feel good about my putting I am more relaxed," he said. "But you need to play well for four rounds - if it is only for three then it won't happen.
"I'm working on hitting the driver straighter. Hitting it long is okay, but you need to put it on the fairway."
While compatriot Angel Cabrera has now won two Majors, Vancsik has yet to play in one.
The closest he came was at Walton Heath last June when he lost a play-off for a US Open Championship spot to amateur Gary Wolstenholme.
Maybin said after his two birdie, one bogey round: "That was hard work - too hard.
"Tee to green I was not very good, but usually anybody who finishes well is going to have one of those days and hopefully that's mine out of the way."
England's Anthony Wall, Icelander Birgir Hafthorsson and Finn Roope Kakko are in joint third place on seven under.
Wall, trying for only his second win in more than 300 European Tour events, shot 67, Hafthorsson a 65 and Kakko, who received a late call-up to the event, a 64.
That was a European Tour best for the 27 year old, but will not join Maybin's opening round as a course record because placing was allowed on the fairways.
That also applies, of course, to South African Andrew McLardy, who improved from three over to four under with the help of a hole in one at the 208 yard fourth.
On the same mark is American star John Daly after a second successive 69 - in fact, a third in a row as he finished last week's Open de España with one.
"Yesterday could have been really low and today could have been really high," said the 43 year old.
Big name Scots Colin Montgomerie and Paul Lawrie failed to survive the cut, which was hard lines on Lawrie after an excellent second-round 67. Pity about the first-day 76.
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE ITALIAN OPEN TOTALS AFTER TWO ROUNDS