Darren Clarke is joint leader with Phillip Price at the K Club

Clarke followed up his opening round 67 with a 68 to reach nine-under-par at the halfway stage.

The Ulsterman had five birdies and one bogey on his card and after his round rang coach Butch Harmon in Utah, who was about to take part in a four-man bobsleigh run.

"He hadn't been watching me on television, but I described the shots and he told me what to work on,'' said Clarke.

''I went on the range for about an hour and I'm pretty happy with how it went.

EUROPEAN OPEN LEADERBOARD (GB&Ire unless stated) -9 P Price, D Clark -8 A Forsyth, C Schwartzel (Rsa) -7 A Coltart, M McNulty (Zim), E Romero (Arg) -6 J Sandelin (Swe), M Gronberg (Swe), G Evans Clubhouse scores

"I hope Butch survived - I'm going to ring him again tonight."

Meanwhile, Price, one of three overnight leaders, had earlier added a 69 to his first-round 66.

Clarke and Price were a stroke ahead of Scotland's Alastair Forsyth, who would have made it a three-way tie for the lead but for driving behind a tree on his final hole, the 461-yard ninth.

There were no such late slips from 18-year-old South African Charl Schwartzel, who set a new record for the lengthened course with his 64 to join Forsyth in third.

Forsyth's compatriot Andrew Coltart was two behind after a 70 that tested his powers of concentration.

Italy's Emanuele Canonica, his only partner after the withdrawal overnight of Swede Patrik Sjoland with stomach trouble, slumped to an 87.

"Emanuele wasn't mucking around or anything and I know from personal experience it's not very nice," said Coltart.

It was difficult to concentrate, but he could have walked off and that probably would have thrown me Andrew Coltart

"You feel bad enough that you're playing poorly, but if the other guy's playing well it just makes it 10 times worse. It's a horrible feeling.

"But I told Emanuele I was glad he stayed. Yes, it was difficult to concentrate, but he could have walked off and that probably would have thrown me."

Sweden's Jarmo Sandelin was alone in the clubhouse on six under after nailing a 66 to his opening 72.

Pre-tournament favourite Padraig Harrington had to hole a 20-foot birdie putt from just off the green at the last to survive the halfway cut on two over.

Colin Montgomerie, handily placed at four under overnight, had a bizarre first seven holes of four birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey.

But then came 10 pars and a closing birdie for a 71 that means he is only four behind.

Defending champion Michael Campbell scraped through the cut, but is 10 shots off the lead on one over.

New French Open champion Philip Golding, suffering from tennis elbow, crashed out with rounds of 78 and 80.

Others to miss the cut were Justin Rose, who slumped to eight over after a second successive 76, and Philip Walton, who had former Republic of Ireland striker Niall Quinn as his caddie.

Tall though he is, Quinn could not help at the ninth when Walton's ball got stuck up a tree. He had to go back to the tee and double-bogeyed for a second successive 75.