• Madrid Masters, Round Two

Donald races ahead in Madrid

Luke Donald suffered a late wobble © Getty Images

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Luke Donald holds a one-stroke lead over Rhys Davies at the midway point of the Madrid Masters.

The world No. 13 resumed at Real Sociedad in a three-way tie at the top after striking a seven-under 65 on the opening day and continued his rich vein of ball striking in the early trappings of his second round by recording birdies at five of his first seven holes.

That auspicious start continued Donald's comeback from the disappointment he suffered at the PGA Championship last weekend, where he threw away the title by double-bogeying his penultimate hole of the tournament.

Donald capitulated late in his round at Wentworth, and there was a similar wobble towards the close in Madrid as he bogeyed 16 and 17. Nonetheless his round of 67, which puts him 12-under overall, will take some beating later in the day.

"I'm disappointed to give back a couple at the end but I'm not really worried - I hit good shots, they just didn't turn out," Donald told Sky Sports. "There are some tricky holes and greens and you have to put yourself in good positions - I did that very well on my front nine."

Davies also suffered a disappointing weekend at Wentworth after a promising start but continued his recovery with a second-round 68 to hold second place outright. The 25-year-old Welshman had the chance to pull level with Donald on 18 but saw his 20-foot birdie putt finish agonisingly short of the hole.

Fellow Welshman Jamie Donaldson maintained his challenge with a second-round 70 but will feel he left shots out on the course after failing to hole a number of short putts. He trails Donald by three shots.

2008 Ryder Cup star Graeme McDowell was Donald's nearest challenger during the morning and made his intentions clear from the start by recording an eagle three on his first hole of the day. After securing four birdies in five holes on the back nine he looked well set to challenge for the lead, but two late bogeys in his 68 put him back to eight-under through 36 holes.

Sergio Garcia, who played in Donald's group, missed his first cut on European soil in six years. He said in the run up to the tournament that he was aiming for consistency, but once again it eluded him during a six-bogey 73 that will end his tournament at one over.

"Nobody likes to miss a cut, in front of your home crowd even more," Garcia said. "It's disappointing, but it is what it is. I'm just not playing well enough. It's as simple as that. It's the way it is at the moment. Hopefully it will turn around and it's just a matter of seeing how long it will take."

Martin Kaymer's fortunes fell somewhere in between those of his playing partners Donald and Garcia. He remains in the hunt at three-under after carding a 70, although his play is showing no sign of stepping up to the next level.

World No. 39 Francesco Molinari looks set to pose a threat over the weekend after moving to seven-under-par with a two-under second round of 70. The Italian is joined on the same score by Graeme Storm, who recovered from a first-round 73 in style by firing eight birdies in a round of 64 - the lowest of the tournament so far.

Paul McGinley failed to build on an opening-round 66 as his struggles with the putter came back to haunt him in a two-over-par round of 74.

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