GOLF: Graeme McDowell, unencumbered by Ryder Cup distractions, surged into the lead at the Linde German Masters at Gut Larchenhof in Cologne yesterday with a second-round 64, which included a 123-yard wedge into the 14th hole for an eagle two.
The Ulsterman's total of 133, 11 under, left him three shots ahead of Raphael Jacquelin of France, and the Australian left-handers Nick O'Hern and Richard Green.
McDowell, a Walker Cup team-mate of Luke Donald three years ago, still had a chance to make Bernhard Langer's line-up with a week of the race to go.
A closing 62, the lowest tournament round of his life, was not enough, but it was the start of a purple patch which continued when he was sixth in the European Masters in Switzerland last week.
The Portrush golfer played with world number three Ernie Els every day there and beat him by one.
"I learnt that short game is everything," commented McDowell. "He didn't play great, but his short game display was like nothing I have ever seen before.
"His demeanour is something I have tried to model myself on. It helps on days like today - I didn't get too excited.
"When the Ryder Cup team was announced I was a little disappointed, but I'm not going to beat myself up about not making it.
"I didn't realise how realistic making the team was, but I will definitely be working as hard as I can to be there at the K Club in 2006. Everything I do will be geared to it."
Thomas Levet was the best of the Ryder Cup players, on 136, after he and his compatriot Jacquelin inspired each other to a birdie-fest on their back nine. Having started at the 10th and gone out in 37, one over par, between them they produced 10 birdies, to come home in 31, five under par.
"We had good fun and I think it will be difficult to beat Thomas next week," Jacquelin said, adopting the role of cheerleader.
"I am trying to build confidence," said Levet, who will make his cup debut at Oakland Hills next week.
"You don't want to be cold for the Ryder Cup, you want to have confidence."
Paul Casey played steadily for a 72 and was far from out of the mix on four under par. Darren Clarke was three under after a 70, alongside Padraig Harrington, whose 75 lacked the magical putting of his opening 66 and Miguel Angel Jimenez resumed normal service with a 69, to restore himself to level par.
It was not quite such a confidence-building day for the three team-mates who missed the cut, along with Langer.
Colin Montgomerie had a bogey-strewn 76, to finish on 149; Paul McGinley, who admitted to playing poorly and feeling flat, struggled to a 75 and a total of 151; and Ian Poulter also headed home after crashing to a 79 that left him well adrift on 155.
The normally bouncy Englishman bogeyed the ninth, a particularly treacherous hole on a day with a fierce left-to-right wind, to slip to five over par. When he drove wildly at the 10th and ended up with a double bogey six, making the cut became a struggle.
Home in 42, six over par, Poulter's long legs carried him off the premises fairly speedily as the airport beckoned.
Montgomerie, whose divorce has just come through, had time to chat and was not worried about his form.
"I didn't play that badly," he said. "I just haven't scored and I'd like to drive a bit better."
Guardian Service
(Irish in bold, British unless stated, par 72):
133 - Graeme McDowell 69 64
136 - R Jacquelin (Fra) 68 68, Nick O'Hern (Aus) 68 68, R Green (Aus) 68 68
137 - A Cejka (Ger) 67 70
138 - T Levet (Fra) 70 68
139 - G Owen 68 71, R Derksen (Ned) 70 69
140 - P Casey 68 72, P O'Malley (Aus) 71 69
141 - Padraig Harrington 66 75, A Forsyth 70 71, Darren Clarke 71 70, R Russell 71 70
142 - R Muntz (Ned) 69 73, R Rock 72 70, B Davis 73 69
143 - N Dougherty 72 71, J Haeggman (Swe), T Immelman (Rsa) 70 73, JM Olazabal (Spa) 69 74, B Dredge 75 68, S Dodd 72 71, D Borrego (Spa) 73 70, S Webster 73 70, D Geall 70 73
144 - N Fasth (Swe) 73 71, Thomas B (Den) 74 70, P Lima (Fra) 75 69, L Oosthuizen (Rsa) 68 76, E Simsek (Ger) 71 73, C Cevaer (Fra) 72 72, M Angel Jimenez (Spa) 75 69, A Hansen (Den) 72 72, M Campbell (Nzl) 72 72, B Rumford (Aus) 71 73, K Ferrie 73 71, G Orr 71 73
145 - J Remesy (Fra) 74 71, K Eriksson (Swe) 71 74, A Cabrera (Arg) 70 75, S Hansen (Den) 71 74, J Moseley (Aus) 72 73, S Khan 74 71, M Roe 75 70, G Havret (Fra) 72 73, M Fraser (Aus) 73 72, P Price 73 72, A Oldcorn 73 72, G Emerson 73 72, M Brier (Aut) 73 72, A Wall 69 76
146 - M Maritz (Rsa) 74 72, J Spence 73 73, KJ Choi (S Kor) 71 75, C Rodiles (Spa) 74 72, P Baker 73 73, M Farry (Fra) 70 76
147 - S Lyle 78 69, M Tunnicliff 76 71, B Lane 69 78, Gary Murphy 69 78, M Siem (Ger) 72 75, A Tadini (Ita) 76 71, T Gogele (Ger) 71 76, R Gonzalez (Arg) 77 70, E Romero (Arg) 75 72, J Kingston (Rsa) 75 72, M Olander (Swe) 75 72, P Hedblom (Swe) 72 75, I Garrido (Spa) 73 74, P Fulke (Swe) 74 73
Missed the cut: 148 - M Blackey 75 73, D Lynn 76 72, P Broadhurst 70 78, A Coltart 72 76, C Rocca (Ita) 73 75, P Sjoland (Swe) 73 75, E Canonica (Ita) 73 75, S Struver (Ger) 75 73, M Haremza (Ger) 78 70, D Gilford 73 75, J Lomas 72 76
149 - T Schuster (Ger) 74 75, P Lawrie 75 74, T Hamilton (USA) 72 77, S Scahill (Nzl) 74 75, C Montgomerie 73 76, S Luna (Spa) 74 75, I Pyman 74 75, S Kjeldsen (Den) 77 72, S Wakefield 72 77, C Reimbold (Ger) 76 73
150 - A Marshall 76 74, M Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 73 77, B Langer (Ger) 73 77, T Jaidee (Thai) 74 76, M Ilonen (Fin) 75 75, S Drummond 73 77
151 - J Clement (Swi) 74 77, Paul McGinley 76 75, D Fichardt (Rsa) 73 78, R Karlsson (Swe) 75 76, D Park 76 75, J Lupprian (Ger) 72 79, Peter Lawrie 75 76, C Schwartzel (Rsa) 71 80, W Ormsby (Aus) 80 71, N Colsaerts (Bel) 75 76
152 - T Dier (Ger) 72 80, M Foster 74 78
153 - S Gallacher 77 76, H Stenson (Swe) 78 75, S Richardson 77 76
154 - JM Lara (Spa) 75 79, J Edfors (Swe) 75 79, R McEvoy 76 78
155 - R Coles 76 79, A Forsbrand (Swe) 81 74, I Poulter 76 79
156 - R Sterne (Rsa) 77 79, P Fowler (Aus) 77 79, P Eales 83 73
157 - P Golding 79 78, H Otto (Rsa) 74 83
158 - C Guenther (Ger) 76 82, F Andersson (Swe) 74 84
159 - J Sandelin (Swe) 78 81
Retired: C Hanell (Swe).
