Darren Clarke, standing like a beacon for the most part of a bleak English day is still very much in touch with the lead, on day two of a rain abbreviated second day of the British Masters at the Forest of Arden course outside Coventry.

Clarke, one of eight European Ryder Cup players competing in the prestigious British event, surged towards the lead at three-under-par after 12 holes before successive bogeys at the next two holes dropped him back to one under as deteriorating light halted play for a second day running.

Clarke, with three holes to play of his second round, is five shots adrift of England's Mark Roe, who leads at six under.

Roe has nine holes of his second round to complete.

Scotland's Raymond Russell, off to an eight birdie start on day one, completed his first round in 64 and had just 35 minutes to get changed out of wet clothes before commencing his second round.

But the young Scot was unable to duplicate his record equalling feat, brought back to earth with a three over 75 and a share of second place at five under.

Russell's remarkable first round score card reads eight birdies, double bogey, birdie, bogey and birdie before he recorded his first par at the 13th hole.

Welshman, Phillip Price was another tucked up warm in the clubhouse joining Russell at five under after his four-under-par 68.

New Zealand's Greg Turner had inched his way into a share of fourth place to be four under with seven second holes to play. The Kiwi was joined at four under by Essex's Mark Davis who has one hole to play.

Ronan Rafferty, out at 3.50 p.m. in the last group of the round, managed to keep his score card in tact, on a course that was verging on the brink of unplayable. Rafferty, who began the round at one-under-par, had three birdies and an equal number of bogies in the nine holes he has completed, to tie Clarke at one under.

Des Smyth, despite a double bogey at the third hole remains in sight of the leaders, to be one over with nine holes to play.

Heavy overnight showers and persistent rain has filled many of the course bunkers and added probably 400 yards to the 7,134 yard course.

Though with less than a week to the Ryder Cup match down against the Americans, the might of Europe, with the exception of Clarke and Denmark's Thomas Bjorn, who finished at three-under-par, seem as excitable as the miserable weather that has taken over the Forest of Arden course.

Lee Westwood, one of Europe's five cup rookies, should be concerned after his rounds of 79 and 77 for a 12 over total. But the 24year old Worksop lad was in a peculiar frame of mind as he contemplated the thought of what to do with his time over the weekend. "I'm looking forward to next week. It should be a good experience, so what more can I say," said Westwood who missed only his fourth cut in 22 appearances this season.

Colm Montgomery, looking lately as though he has got the weight of the Tour on his shoulders was in a rare jovial mood after he signed for an even par 72 to be two over for the tournament. "I'm going home right now. I've had enough of hotel rooms. It is a nice hotel but I've just had enough," laughed Monty as he strolled off the Marriott Hotel Group owned course heading straight for his car and then straight down the M1 motorway to his London home.

But Europe's points winning Ryder Cup competitor will need to be back to the course early to establish if indeed he has made the half way cut which at this stage looks likely to be two over.

Monty has not missed a tournament cut since last year's USPGA Championship at Valhalla in Kentucky.