Poulter needs a good result this week to book a Ryder Cup berth

The 30-year-old Englishman made a late charge to qualify for Bernhard Langer's 2004 team and must now do the same to make Ian Woosnam's side for the K Club.

Poulter started his second round slowly and was one over for his front nine.

But three birdies coming home took him to four under for the tournament, four behind the leading quartet.

"After an early bogey I was rock steady," said Poulter.

Hopefully that's my bad day David Howell

"It's like the US Open. You can't be silly. You can't go at real tight flags and you just can't press."

Less satisfied with his second-round display, but certain of his Ryder Cup place, was European Order of Merit leader David Howell.

The 31-year-old Englishman posted his second 71 of the week to trail Poulter by two shots.

"That was a real grind. The club felt alien in my hands," said Howell, who like Poulter also made his Ryder Cup debut at Oakland Hills in 2004.

"Hopefully that's my bad day."

Lee Westwood also endured a frustrating second round at the 7,561-yard course.

The 33-year-old Englishman carded a level-par 72 to remain on three under for the tournament but that tells only half the story.

He started with a double-bogey six, followed it with a birdie at the 2nd before giving it back with a bogey at the 4th.

He then birdied four of the next eight holes to get to five under and within three of the lead only to bogey the 16th and 18th to fall back.

But Poulter was not the only Englishman with reason to be satisfied with his work on Friday, Justin Rose, almost the forgotten man of European golf, bounced back from an opening 73 to card a 70.

The 26-year-old, who tied for fourth as an 18-year-old amateur at the 1998 Open, is playing in his first major for two years and his one-under total for 36 holes should see him make the cut by one stroke.

And then Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell matched Rose's score with a superb four-under 68 to recover from his three-over first round and qualify for the weekend.