• Houston Open

Over-confident Westwood two shots off the leader

Lee Westwood got "too confident" during the second round of the Houston Open © Getty Images

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Lee Westwood remains in the title picture at the halfway stage of the Houston Open after he fired a four-under-par 68 on Friday to move two shots behind clubhouse leader Bryce Molder.

Westwood has not won in the United States since his maiden PGA Tour victory back in 1998, but he followed up his opening day 69 with an even better effort on Friday to trail Molder by two strokes on seven-under. Molder was one of the late starters but he hit six birdies in an error-free round to take the outright lead on nine-under.

Cameron Percy and Alex Prugh are tied for second a single stroke behind the American. Prugh produced the round of the day to card a six-under 66, taking him level with Percy who hit a solid three-under 69.

Things could have been looking far rosier for Westwood though, after he turned in a totally contrasting performance to the flawless round he enjoyed on Thursday. Mixing three bogeys with seven birdies Westwood struggled for consistency, and he will demand better of himself over the remainder of the weekend.

"It was a bit breezier than I thought it was going to be," he said. "The wind got up a little earlier, and at times out there I was a bit undisciplined. I went for a couple of flags I shouldn't have gone for. I played over-confident, tried to play a couple of secret shots. I should have just aimed 30 feet left or right of the hole. All in all it was pretty good.

"I could have made two hole-in-ones in the last three holes ... on seven, to about 18 inches, must have lipped out, and nine, grazed the hole as well. It was a solid-ish day. When I did hit greens, I hit it close. And I'm pleased with the position I'm in for the weekend."

Westwood is one of a group of players trailing the second-placed pair of Percy and Prugh, the latter of whom produced a superb round of golf that was spoilt only by a double-bogey at the par-four third hole. Prugh did not let the setback ruin his day though as he hit eight birdies, putting superbly to require just 25 shots on the greens in the entire round.

American Ryder Cup star Anthony Kim is one of the players tied alongside Westwood on seven-under after shooting a 69. Joe Ogilvie steered clear of bogeys all day as he carded a 67 to also move two shots off the lead alongside first-round leader Kevin Stadler.

Padraig Harrington recovered from a double bogey on the back nine to card a three-under 69 to stay in contention, three shots off the leader, joining Vaughn Taylor was one of five players on six-under, while Adam Scott is a shot further back on five-under.

Justin Rose undid the good work of his first round to merely reach even par on Friday, leaving him seven shots off the pace. Rose is two strokes ahead of Ernie Els, who hit a disappointing two-over 74 to slip to even par.

Elsewhere, Simon Dyson reached the cut level with Els, but Rory McIlroy (three-over), Brian Davis (three-over), Luke Donald (four-over) and Chris Wood (four-over) all failed to extend their participation in the event.

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