GREG OWEN
maintained his excellent start to his debut season
on the US Tour when he moved into contention at the
halfway stage of the Shell Houston Open.
The 6ft 4in professional from Mansfield, with a
driving average of 300 yards, comfortably handled
the 7,500-yard Redstone Golf Club course — one of
the longest on tour. His second-round 69 took him to
within two shots of the joint leaders Brett Quigley
of America and Australian Gavin Coles.
Since finishing fourth at the qualifying school,
2003 British Masters champion Owen has adapted
remarkably well to life on the US Tour he has made
the last eight cuts in succession, has a best finish
of third in the AT&T National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach
and currently stands 35th on the money list with
earnings of almost £400,000.
He trailed world No 2
Vijay Singh and former Open Champion John Daly by
one shot after the second round at Houston.
Singh, the defending champion who is aiming to
regain the world No 1 position, dropped back with a
71 after leading the first round and was among a
group of four players a shot off the lead.
Darren Clarke, who lost the MCI Heritage last Sunday
with a double bogey on the final hole, was in a
share of 27th place with Englishman Brian Davis
after a second-round 69 but Ryder Cup team-mate
David Howell and Philip Price of Wales both missed
the cut.
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