• Andalucia Valderrama Masters, Round Two

Kaymer under pressure on two fronts

Martin Kaymer did not seem his ice-cool self on day two in Spain © Getty Images

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Martin Kaymer suffered a double blow on day two of the Andalucia Valderrama Masters after a 74 left him facing an uphill battle to secure the world No. 1 spot, while his lead at the top of the Race to Dubai standings came under threat by an inspired Graeme McDowell.

Kaymer, who will move to the top of the world rankings with a top-two finish this week, was far from his best during a three-over-par second round. The German has won his last three tournaments but the pressure appeared to get to the 25-year-old as he made a series of uncharacteristic errors.

After three straight pars, a birdie at the fourth ensured Kaymer got off to a promising start, but his joy was to be short-lived as two bogeys in four holes made ugly reading. He bounced back well with four successive pars but his confidence, for once, seemed rattled and he dropped further shots to finish 11 adrift of leader McDowell.

US Open champion McDowell, who currently sits second in the Race to Dubai standings behind Kaymer, showed all the hallmarks of a major winner, attacking the pin with his irons and draining a glut of birdies en route to a four-under 67.

There were setbacks, in the form of two bogeys on the front nine, but, unlike Kaymer, the Northern Irishman shrugged them off and got his round back on track with an assured display down the stretch.

Niclas Fasth shot a sparkling 66 to propel himself up the leaderboard and into contention. The 38-year-old, a Ryder Cup winner in 2002, was a different player to the one that limped to an opening 73 on Thursday. He rolled in five birdies in total and there was not a single blot on his card to leave him well placed to win his first tournament since the BMW International Open in 2007.

He said: "It is a lovely score. I am very pleased and somewhat surprised because my game is not so solid, but my putting and my short game were sensational. On this course you need to have a good short game even if you are in great form.

"I have had another tough season this year, but it's getting better at the end and here I have found a bit of spark, a bit of energy."

Gareth Maybin remains in the hunt for his maiden European Tour triumph having signed for an encouraging 68. After reaching the turn for level-par, the Northern Irishman made no bogeys coming home and he will head into round three only two shots off the pace.

Miguel Angel Jimenez is currently alongside Gary Boyd on two-under for the tournament. In an eventful round, the Spaniard showed inconsistency, mixing six birdies with five bogeys to card a 70.

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