Clarke chases Irish leaders

Clarke: Three off the pace

Second round leaders:
GB & Ire unless stated
-6 Lorenzo-Vera (Fra)
-5 M Siem (Ger)
-4 R Green (Aus)
-4 P Larrazabal (Spn)

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Darren Clarke is only three shots off the lead at the Irish Open, but he is still unhappy with the lay-out at the Adare Manor Country Club.

The Ryder Cup star complained about the newly-lengthened course following his opening round of 72 and said he would still like to see changes despite carding a three-under-par second round of 69.

Clarke, who finished third in this event when it was staged at Carton House two years ago, made four birdies on the back nine and closed with another birdie at the ninth, having started on the 10th tee.

"I'm very pleased with the score because I didn't play particularly well," commented Clarke, who trails France's Michael Lorenzo-Vera by three strokes.

Unsuitable greens

"Lengthening a course does not necessarily make it better - the greens are not designed for the sort of irons we've having to hit in.

"Would I expect to see it changed for the weekend? No. Would I like to? Yes."

Lorenzo-Vera prospered, adding a two-under-par round of 70 to his opening 68 despite saying he had never played on a tougher course.

He leads from Germany's Marcel Siem, who made 71, with overnight leader Richard Green two shots back at four under after enduring a difficult day from start to finish.

The Australian left-hander started and finished his round with bogeys, mixing three other dropped shots with an equal number of birdies to finish with a 74.

Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal joined him on four under par late in the day, carding a second successive round of 70 after recovering well from a double-bogey six on the opening hole.

Jeev Milkha Singh, who had shared the overnight lead with Green, fared even worse as he battled through the punishing rough to make 76.

The Swedish duo of Robert Karlsson and Johan Edfors are well in contention at three under, alongside last year's runner-up Bradley Dredge.

Defending champion Padraig Harrington has some ground to make up after a 71, but he is just five shots off the pace.

Another Irish favourite, Paul McGinley, is four shots behind the leader but it could have been much better after he missed three-foot par-putts on the last two greens.

McGinley said: "There are a lot of positives but I'm disappointed with the way I finished and I need to be a bit tidier than I was.

"The course was a bit easier for us because it was softer. Everybody thinks it is length that makes it tougher, but it's about firm greens."