Golf: Campbell poised for final day challenge in Germany

GUT KADEN, Germany - US Open champion Michael Campbell and former British Open winner John Daly lurked ominously close to the lead when the rain-affected second round of the Players Championship of Europe golf tournament was completed on Saturday.

New Zealander Campbell returned a one-under-par 71 to finish just two shots behind pacesetter Niclas Fasth of Sweden (66) while American Daly fired a best-of-the-week 64 to lie four strokes adrift in a tie for seventh place.

Fasth set the tournament pace at 10-under 134 with Britain's Bradley Dredge alone in second at nine under after carding a 69.

With heavy rain having left the Gut Kaden course waterlogged on the first day, organisers have set up a 36-hole finish on Sunday.

Campbell, who opened with a 65, did not find birdies or concentration as easy to come by on Saturday and dropped three shots on his back nine before signing for a 71.

However, the 36-year-old is in a good position to make up for the disappointment of losing out to Tiger Woods for this title four years ago in Heidelberg.

"I just wanted to put myself in striking distance and I have," said Campbell, who tied for fifth at last week's British Open.

"I lost concentration a little bit, three-putted and missed a real tiddler on the 17th.

"It's been a big six weeks, winning the US Open and playing well in the (British) Open last week and it takes it out of you mentally."

Daly, winner of the 1991 US PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open at St Andrews, reeled off eight birdies without dropping a shot to vault up the leaderboard.

The American damaged his putter on his way to a first-round 74 and was glad to find a similar model for round two, although he very rarely needed to use it such was the quality of his approach play.

"Putter inserts pop out sometimes and I thought that had played me out of the tournament but I found a new one with a nice head," he said. "It just needs work on the shaft.

"Luckily I didn't have to putt much today. I had a lot of 'gimmes' through hitting so close."

The burly Daly, who concedes he is not in the best of shape for an athlete, said he was not concerned about the marathon 36-hole finish.

"I'll be fine," he said. "I'll put four or five extra packs of cigarettes in my bag and I'll be ready to go."

Leader Fasth, bidding for his second victory of the year after the New Zealand Open in February, is banking on the help of his highly experienced Northern Irish caddie Dave McNeilly.

McNeilly caddied for Padraig Harrington when the Irishman won here two years ago and finished second last year.

"It was good luck for me that Dave and Padraig split because he's a very skilled caddie," said Fasth, who represented Europe in the 2002 Ryder Cup.

"He's benefited me in many ways but, even though we've had a win, our real potential hasn't been seen yet. So we'll see what we get out of tomorrow."

Dredge has fought back admirably from a bad start to his Players Championship of Europe, having lost a ball on his way to a double-bogey at the first hole of the tournament on Friday.

The Welshman, whose sole European Tour win came at the 2003 Madeira Island Open title, has returned scores of 66 and 69.

Double US Open champion Retief Goosen, on one-under 143, and twice US Masters winner Jose Maria Olazabal, on 147, missed the halfway cut which fell at two-under 142 cut for the leading 50 players and ties.

Scores (Cut set at 142):

134 Niclas Fasth (Sweden) 68 66
135 Bradley Dredge (Britain) 66 69
136 MICHAEL CAMPBELL (NEW ZEALAND) 65 71
Peter Lawrie (Ireland) 71 65
137 Mark Roe (Britain) 68 69
Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 65 72
138 K.J. Choi (South Korea) 67 71
John Daly (United States) 74 64
Brian Davis (Britain) 71 67
Anders Hansen (Denmark) 69 69

- REUTERS