Luke Donald leads from Rhys Davies at Madrid halfway

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
England's Luke Donald leads at halfway in the Madrid Masters after Welshman Rhys Davies did not quite get the 25th birthday present he most wanted.
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.
"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 - and that after a double bogey on the penultimate hole - 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 then bogeyed the eighth as well after plugging in a bunker.
"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 Official World Golf Rankings 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, before adding a 70.
Ulsterman Graeme McDowell, who began the week discovering that he had just kept his place in the world's top 50 and did not therefore have to qualify for the US Open or Open Championship, 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 anymore and it's like a weight lifted off my shoulders," he said.
Former Open de France champion Graeme Storm, who had to pull out with stomach cramps last week and was still suffering earlier this week, felt a whole lot better after charging from one over to seven under with a course-record 64.
Luke Donald's playing partner and good friend Sergio Garcia missed the cut by two strokes when a 73 left him on one over par.

 The Spaniard had felt he was turning the corner with his game after 15 months in the doldrums, but another failure caused his shoulders to slump as he disappointed his home fans.
"It's hard when you know your potential and you just can't achieve it," said the former world No 2, who is now 32nd and falling in the rankings, said. "At the moment, I can't see the future. The way things are I can't see how long it will take to come out of this."
His failure to produce the penetrating ball-striking which took him so close to world No 1Tiger Woods at the start of 2009 was demonstrated on his first hole of the day, the par-five 10th.
"I hit a great drive, but then pushed a five-iron and ended up in the water, not the greatest of starts," the 30-year-old Spaniard said. "A spark comes with rounds of 62 or 63, not 73," he said.
Last week Garcia said that he would not want to be picked for the Ryder Cup by Colin Montgomerie if he were playing as "badly" as he is at the moment.
SCOTSWATCH:
The Scots on the  European Tour never seem to get much credit for their efforts so lets hear it for the "Magnficent Seven' - that's how many survived the cut on one-under-par 143 to continue the action into the weekend. When was the last time seven Scots made it past the halfway cut in a European Tour event, probably not as long ago as that but an occasion still worth highlighting.
Gary Orr is the No 1 Scot on 140 (73-67), followed by Marc Warren on 141 (70-71) and the in-form Stephen Gallacher on 142 (69-73). Four Scots made it on the limit mark of 143 - Peter Whiteford (73-70), David Drysdale (69-74), Paul; Lawrie (73-70) and Alistair Forsyth (74-69).
Five Scots were sidelined - Steven O'Hara (71-74) on 145, Richie Ramsay (74-72) and Andrew Coltart (74-72) on 146, Andrew McArthur (76-71) on 147 and Scott Drummond (74-77) on 151.

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