LOCH LOMOND, Scotland, 15 July 2006 — Darren Clarke, yet to taste victory this season, opened up a three-stroke lead after packing seven birdies in a six-under-par 65 in the second round of the Scottish Open yesterday.

The 37-year-old Briton finished 11-under on 131, three ahead of South African Charl Schwartzel, Swede Johan Edfors and Irishman Damien McGrane on another benign day at Loch Lomond. Clarke has not finished higher than third in Europe this season, a result he achieved at the Irish Open in May.

The Northern Irishman played flawlessly on the front nine on Friday, picking up birdies at the third, sixth and ninth in ideal scoring conditions. Clarke then made amends for a dropped shot at the 11th by birdying the 10th, 14th, 15th and 17th.

“I hit it really nicely today and gave myself an awful lot of (birdie) chances,” he told reporters. “I had a lot of putts from the 10 to 12 feet range for birdies and unfortunately missed a few. But, overall, six-under is pretty good.” Earlier, Schwartzel maintained a South African tradition for excellence at this event.

The 21-year-old raced home in 30 shots to fire a 66 in the final tournament in Europe ahead of next week’s British Open at Hoylake.

Schwartzel, the second youngest South African to earn full membership of the European Tour after Dale Hayes, began his round in sedate fashion before his putter caught fire and he birdied the 12th, 13th, 15th, 17th and 18th.

Edfors, tied for the lead with Briton David Drysdale overnight, had five birdies and three bogeys in his 69. McGrane returned a 66.

South African Tim Clark is defending the title this week while compatriot Ernie Els won here in 2000 and 2003 and Retief Goosen emerged triumphant in 2001.

“The golf course is a lot like courses we have back home,” said Schwartzel.

“It has quite wide fairways and I think it suits us. I love it, I think it’s a great course.” Briton Jamie Donaldson (67), one of Schwartzel’s playing partners, was on seven-under 135 alongside Drysdale (70).

Clark was six-under together with Britons Lee Westwood and Raymond Russell, Argentina’s Andres Romero, Gregory Havret of France and Dane Thomas Bjorn.

Romero carded a seven-under 64 after a purple patch in mid-round where he captured nine birdies in 11 holes, including six in a row from the fifth.

“It was obviously possible for a 60 or 59 but I got a bit nervous over the drive on 16 and dropped a shot there and another at 17,” said the 25-year-old Argentine, no relation to 2002 Scottish Open winner Eduardo.

Home favorite Colin Montgomerie burst out of the blocks with two birdies and an eagle in his first three holes as he carded a 66 for 138. American veteran Hale Irwin, 61, followed his opening three-under 68 with a one-over 72.

Scot Sam Torrance, 52, making a record 700th tour appearance, missed the cut on 152, 10 over.

Wie Appears Headed for Weekend Off, Not History

After yet another errant shot, Michelle Wie groaned and tugged her baseball hat down over her eyes.

Nice try. There was no escaping the ugliness on her scorecard, though.

Trying for a fifth time to become the first woman since 1945 to make a cut in a PGA Tour event, the 16-year-old instead found trouble virtually everywhere she turned Thursday in the first round of the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois. In the sand. In the water. In the weeds. And in the woods — several times.

With a 6-over 77, Wie was 13 strokes off the lead and appears headed for another early trip home. The low 70 and ties will make the cut after the second round Friday and 70 players were at 2 under or better, with three still on the course when play was suspended because of darkness. Wie was tied for 149th in the 153-player field, with only Bob May and Mike Springer behind her.

J.P. Hayes, John Senden, Daniel Chopra and local favorite Zach Johnson were tied for the lead at 7-under 64. Joe Ogilvie and Kris Cox were one stroke back at 65. Six players, including one of Wie’s playing partners, Daisuke Maruyama, were at 66.

Jeff Gove, the third player in Wie’s group, was at 3-over 74. Defending champion Sean O’Hair was five shots off the lead after a 69.

This is Wie’s fifth visit to the PGA Tour, where she is trying to become the first woman since Babe Zaharias in 1945 to make the cut. And if ever there was a time the teen phenom was going to do it, this appeared to be it.

She missed the cut at last year’s Deere Classic by two strokes, blowing her chance at history with two bad holes late in the second round. A year older and wiser, she arrived playing the best golf of her career. In the first three LPGA Tour majors, she’s finished a combined five shots out of the lead.

Neumann Leads Jamie Farr Classic

In Sylvania, Ohio, Liselotte Neumann capitalized on the attention given to fan favorites Annika Sorenstam and Nancy Lopez, shooting 6-under 65 Thursday to take the first-round lead at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic.

Sung Ah Yim, Reilley Rankin and Michelle Estill opened with 66s and 18 players were within three shots of the lead, including four-time tournament winner Se Ri Pak.

Neumann birdied three of four holes after making the turn and finished her round with a birdie. She was consistent all day and stayed away from any bogeys.

“I putted very, very good today and drilled the ball,” said Neumann, the 40-year-old Swede who won the last of her 13 US LPGA Tour titles in 2004. “There were plenty of people there to cheer me on.”