Garrido surges into Seville lead

SECOND ROUND LEADERBOARD (GB & Ire unless stated)
-15 I Garrido (Sp) -11 M Erlandsson (Swe) -9 P Fowler (Aus) -8 D Lynn, C Rodiles (Sp) Selected others:-7 MA Jimenez (Sp), M Foster -3 D Clarke -2 P McGinley -1 C Montgomerie +1 J Daly (US)

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Garrido needs to find form to keep his European Tour career afloat

Spain's Ignacio Garrido left the field trailing in his wake by recording a course-record 63 to take a four-shot lead at the Spanish Open in Seville.

The 36-year-old, joint second overnight following his first round 66, added nine birdies to finish 15 under par.

Sweden's Martin Erlandsson lies second on 11 under, Darren Clarke is 12 off the lead on three under.

Colin Montgomerie narrowly survived the cut on one under but John Daly crashed out at one over.

The former Open champion, who has lost his card in America after a disappointing three years in which he has not managed a single top 10 finish, played his last nine holes in just 32 and closed with an eagle for 70.

But his total of 145 was not good enough to survive and the world number 595 has still made it through to the end of only two events in 10 starts this year.

606: DEBATE Your thoughts ahead of the final two rounds

The day, however, unquestionably belonged to Garrido.

With only six top-10 finishes since winning the Tour's flagship PGA Championship in 2003, the Spaniard has been desperately searching for a win to keep his European Tour career afloat.

And he now has a golden opportunity to join a list of winners that includes his father Antonio in 1972.

"For two days it's probably the best I've ever played," said Garrido, who had missed the cut in his last seven tournaments.

"I thought I couldn't play better than yesterday, but obviously I could.

"It is a dream to do it here. I think for any player the most important tournament after a major is their own national championship."

Garrido, a member of Europe's 1999 Ryder Cup team, started with a pitch close to the flag on the 422-yard 10th, then had three more birdies in a row from the 12th.

When a 30-footer went in on the long 16th he was 11 under and birdies on four of his last eight holes broke the course record by one.

Overnight leader Erlandsson was among the later starters and before he teed off he found himself overtaken by Englishman David Lynn, who turned in 33 before picking up birdies on the 11th, 13th and 14th to finish eight under.

Clarke, the winner in China last time out, covered his first 10 holes in four under to improve on his opening 72 by three shots.

Montgomerie, returning to action after a five-week absence and desperately seeking to move up the Ryder Cup standings having slipped to 34th, fired bogies at the first, 15th and 18th.