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CRANS-SUR-SIERRE, Switzerland - Steve Alker has assured himself a fifth cheque this season after making the half-way cut in the 2 million euro ($4.35 million) Omega European Masters golf tournament in Switzerland today.
The Hamilton golfer recorded just two birdies in bright but blustery conditions in round two of a level par 71 to end the day with a one under par tally after two days on the alpine Crans-sur-Sierre course.
Alker, 37, has been competing primarily on the secondary European Challenge Tour but was afforded entry into the prestigious Swiss event after a number of withdrawals.
It is only his 12th appearance this year on the main tour and his third straight, though he missed the cut in his two prior starts - the SAS Masters in Sweden and last week's Johnnie Walker Championship in Scotland.
"It was nice to see the sunshine after a lot of rain but the wind made it very testy," Alker said.
"I managed to drive the ball a lot better today whereas my putting wasn't as good as Thursday, when I had just 23 putts.
"So if I can combine driving the ball well and putting well I feel I can produce some good scores over the weekend."
Michael Campbell continued his good form despite also carding a level par 71 for a two under par tally.
The former US Open champion began his round at two under par and quickly raced to four under with two birdies in his first three holes.
But back-to-back bogeys followed at the fifth and sixth holes.
Campbell then birdied the seventh before a further bogey at 12 followed by a fourth birdie of his round at the 13th that got him back to three under par.
However, a bogey at the final hole will see Campbell commence the third day in a share of 36th place and six shots behind the leading duo of Australian and defending champion Brett Rumford and Northern Ireland teenage sensation Rory McIlroy.
"It was a pretty tough day in the office," Campbell said.
"It was all about staying patient and trying to keep the bogeys off the card. It was disappointing to drop one there at the last as 70 would have been a good score.
"But this is the fifth cut in row I've made and I have to be happy about that.
"I'm going into the weekend six behind and as we've seen in the past that's nothing around here because I recall Jamie Spence coming from 10 shots back with just one round to play and win some years back.
"So you can go low around here and that will be the goal over the weekend."
Gareth Paddison, the only other New Zealander in the field, carded a 76 for a five over par tally.
Paddison never recovered from a mid-round stretch where he dropped five shots in as many holes including taking a double bogey at the 10th.
Meanwhile, Campbell has not parted with caddy and fellow New Zealander Michael Waite.
Campbell sought to reaffirm this after his second round in the Omega European Masters.
The former US Open champion currently has an arrangement where England-born Peter Coleman is caddying for the rest of the northern hemisphere season before Waite resumes duties for the Australasian Tour season.
Waite sought time off to spend with his young Gold Coast-based family and, in fact, caddied for Campbell in last month's US PGA Championship in Detriot.
"I was asked after my first round here in Switzerland what benefit Peter Coleman had been to my game," said Campbell.
"I answered the question honestly, remarking that Peter has been very helpful since he began working with me in May.
"But Michael Waite is also still my caddy and it's only because he wants to spend more time with his young family that Peter is helping out."
Rory McIlroy shot an even-par 71 Friday to share the lead with defending champion Brett Rumford after the second round.
The 19-year-old Northern Irishman, however, could not reproduce the form that earned him an opening 63, and Rumford caught him with a second straight 67 to finish the day at 8-under 134.
They were one stroke ahead of Juan Abbate and Jean-Francois Lucquin (both 67), and Alejandro Canizares (68).
Peter Lawrie (69) was two strokes behind with Fredrik Andersson Hed and Simon Dyson (both 67).
Miguel Angel Jimenez (69), the only member of Europe's Ryder Cup team in the field, was a further stroke behind, level with eight others.
- NZPA, AP
