Parry, Sandelin top of the pile at Vivendi but Padraig looking patchy
John Parry and Jarmo Sandelin hold the clubhouse lead midway through the second round of the Vivendi Cup in France today, but yesterday's leader Johan Edfors is falling away - while Padraig Harrington had a poor showing ahead of next week's Ryder Cup.
England's Parry carded seven birdies and a pair of bogeys at the Golf de Joyvenal course in Chambourcy near Paris earlier today to come home five-under-par, a score that was enough to see the 23-year-old top the leaderboard, 13-under for the tournament.
But Parry was joined by Sweden's Sandelin, who went one better than the Englishman, getting around on six-under-par this afternoon in a flawless round that included four birdies and an eagle on the 6th.
Another Englishman is in hot pursuit on five-under-par so far today, 11-under in total, though James Morrison is yet to complete his round. France's Julien Guerrier is 10-under for the tournament after a varied round of three birdies, two bogeys and an eagle saw him come home three-under-par.
Denmark's Søren Kjeldsen is a stroke further back on nine-under for the tournament, having gone two-under on the day - though he might have improved on that score, were it not for the Dane racking up two bogeys on the bounce over the final two holes.
Having equalled the lowest round all year on the European Tour with yesterday's 11-under-par 61, Edfors couldn't replicate that form today. The Swede started with a bogey on the 1st and found a further two on the 8th and 17th holes - along with a double bogey on the 5th, and a treble on the 6th.
Under the circumstances, two-over-par for the day didn't seem so bad, Edfors also racking up five birdies to spare any further blushes and see him end the round nine-under for the tournament.
It was a similar story for Padraig Harrington. While Paul Casey lies atop the leaderboard at the prestigious Tour Championship on the PGA Tour, the man who gained a Ryder Cup wildcard entry at Casey's expense is struggling badly in France.
Harrington's round included two bogeys, a double on the 5th and a treble on the 12th. Five birdies repaired some of that damage, but the Dubliner still finished his round two-over-par, two-under for the tournament. That leaves him in a tie for 58th place, though he could drop further as play continues, with only the top 65 players making the cut.
That's scarcely the kind of form Ryder captain Colin Montgomerie will have been hoping for; even non-playing vice-captain Paul McGinley finished better than his countryman on one-over today, three-under in total. It's not like Harrington is just having an off week, either - the 39-year-old is without a tour win since his triumph at the PGA Championship in 2008.
With the three-time major winner in danger of missing the weekend's play, Casey's performance over the next three days may well give Monty cause for serious discomfort over the next week.
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