Foster shoots 68 for one-shot lead

GLENEAGLES, Scotland : Mark Foster set about ending a nine-year winless drought in moving 1 stroke clear midway on day two of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.
The 38-year-old Englishman shot another 4-under 68 yesterday to go 8-under overall in search of his second Tour victory after capturing the 2003 Dunhill Championship in South Africa.
Scotland’s Ryder Cup star Paul Lawrie and Australia’s Brett Rumford are the next best clubhouse scores on 7-under. Lawrie, who returns to the Ryder Cup next month for the first time in 13 years, shot 69 and Rumford 70.
“The Ryder Cup is still in the back of my mind but these last couple of days I have been able to just stand up and pick my target and not worry too much about the Ryder Cup,” Lawrie said.
European Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal will likely have the weekend off to consider his two ‘wildcard’ picks after a 69 left him 3-over — the wrong side of the projected cut-off mark.
Former British Open champion Darren Clarke also finished on 3-over after a par-72.
The Northern Irishman, who played alongside Olazabal, returned to the tournament after a four-year absence. He has not broken 70 in 10 rounds on the Gleneagles course.
Meantime, European Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal continues to be embroiled in controversy concerning his relationship with triple Major winning Padraig Harrington.
On Thursday, Olazabal commented on Harrington’s leading score of 64 on day one of the PGA Tour’s Barclays Championship saying that Harrington still needed to “at least win” to even be considered for a ‘wildcard’ pick.
However no sooner had the Spaniard signed his card on day two at Gleneagles and Olazabal again found himself having to deal with questions concerning Harrington’s chances of playing in a seventh straight Ryder Cup.
“If you look at the list, Harrington is well back on the list and not closer than other players, so he certainly needs a win or a top finish to make the team,” said Olazabal.
“He’s not any different to Sergio (Garcia) is he?
“So, I don’t know what this is all about. He’s an experienced player but at the moment he is not able to deliver, period. And it’s simple as that.”
And Olazabal denied there were any lingering bad feelings between him and Harrington following an incident at the 2003 Seve Trophy in Valencia when Harrington questioned Olazabal’s actions in repairing pitch marks.
Olazabal was so incensed at the time he conceded the hole to Harrington before the match was eventually halved.
“If people believe that is interfering with my judgeCO-ment then first of all they are completely wrong,” said Olazabal.
“If that was the case I would failing as a captain.
“So to put it gently that’s a lot of B S.”
Olazabal was speaking after recording a second round 69 for a three over par that could see him very well miss the halfway cut in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.
While Olazabal contemplates the weekend off to further consider his two ‘wildcard’ picks and fourth vice-captain, England’s Mark Foster set about ending a nine-year winless drought.
Foster birdied four holes in succession mid-round in a second four under par 68 to move to eight under par and put himself in position to win for a first time since capturing the 2003 Dunhill Championship in South Africa.
Scotland’s Paul Lawrie (69) and Australia’s Brett Rumford (70) share third place as the afternoon half of the field took to the continued rain-affected course.