Sweden's Robert Karlsson, the man who was told to `lighten up' by his psychologist when he lost the art of winning, has left a heavy burden on everyone's shoulders

The lanky Swede, the tallest man on the European Tour, has cast a long shadow over the Desert Classic here in Dubai after marching to a three stroke lead on 13under-par after two rounds. However, Darren Clarke for one, reckons he can be caught.

That is much to do with the fact that one of the two players in second place is a positively bristling Ernie Els - the other is the exciting young Spaniard Ignacio Garrido. And Greg Norman is a further stroke back, lusting for victory at a course where he has twice had to settle for runner-up laurels only.

And it is also, as Clarke pointed out yesterday after his second 68 left him one shot further behind sharing fifth place, that this Emirates course is there to be plundered, it is in such magnificent condition, wind excepted.

"Robert's got away for the moment, but this is a course where you can catch up, it's in the sort of condition where players can pick up a lot of shots a round," said Clarke after hauling back from a poor spell in the middle of his round where he looked nothing like a man who could hunt the leader today. An eagle on the 13th after he had slipped all the way back to only three-under, put him on a roll and he followed with three birdies, his final one from a peach of a pitch to two feet on the par-five 18th.

Paul McGinley, much to his amazement bearing in mind he nearly pulled out of this event with a torn cartilage in his right ribs, follows Clarke as the second-best Irishman here.

McGinley posted a painful 68 because he is still so sore and stiff after his cortisone injection and it was very much as it had been in Malaysia last week for the Dubliner, a battle of attrition.

"I'm just surviving, hanging in," admitted McGinley, "and definitely not firing on all cylinders. That means I can't get after the course because I can't go for my drives or shots, so I'm not in a position to do any damage to the course. But I'm pleased I made the cut and hopefully the injury will improve at the weekend."

The reason McGinley is next-best Irishman in Dubai was by dint of Padraig Harrington's final hole, the ninth. All day, like in the first round, he had fought the good fight against a desperate hook caused by over-practice during his break. He wrestled it well to capture five birdies, while playing-partner Els got close to his 1994 61 to card nine birdies in a 63. But on the ninth, as Lee Trevino would point out, "eventually a hook don't listen".

After pulling close to the lake, Harrington's attempt to find the haven of the green perished at the hands of a pulled five-iron which left him short in the water. A double-bogey went on the card for a 69 and three-under.

Des Smyth and Raymond Burns on two-under after 71s, made the halfway cut, a delight for Smyth who is determined to make his card by right this year instead of relying on the all-time-money-list.

But Eamonn Darcy headed home, missing the cut by two on oneover despite a plucky 70 and also pulling out of the coming Qatar Masters because of back injury. Christy O'Connor Jnr was one better on level-par after 71, but missed the weekend, too, while Philip Walton was well out of it after a 74 and three-over.

At the other end of the scoreboard, Karlsson's refound form could make him a hard act to follow today.

But the surprise of the day came from Seve Ballesteros, sharing fifth place with Clarke and Jose Maria Olazabal. Seve got a time warning at the 14th just when he was at the top of his form coming home. Normally, an explosion might be expected to be heard in Baghdad, but Ballesteros, uncharacteristically, said nothing.