What with Jamie Donaldson’s dodgy back and Darren Clarke’s dicky knee, Thomas Björn took full advantage of his physical and mental well-being by climbing into a share of the halfway lead in the Smurfit European Open at The K Club in Ireland.
It has not always been the case for the Danish Ryder Cup player. On July 1 last year, for example, Björn played six holes over the Smurfit Course on the other side of the river Liffey and left the course a broken man, requiring a few days at home at Wentworth to unscramble his mind.
Exactly one year on, and with the Smurfit European Open taking place once again over the Palmer Course, Björn was, in effect, re-born, with a round of 69 for a five under par total of 139, and a share of the lead with Welshman Donaldson.
Donaldson, playing on a medical exemption in 2005 after spending much of 2004 recovering from chronic back trouble, added a 70 to his opening 69 to join Björn at the top while five players, including past champion, Clarke, share third place on 140, four under par.
Clarke’s problem stemmed from pumping too much iron during The Daily Telegraph Dunlop Masters at the Marriott Forest of Arden in May, and his puffed-up left knee forced the Irishman to conduct an impromptu post-round interview sitting on a hastily borrowed chair.
All of which left Björn to reflect on the difference a year makes. He almost winced when reminded of that episode and said: “I tried to forget it! I was going through a rough spell and couldn’t really see my way through it. You can deal with it in different ways – you can try to stand on the range and battle your way through it or you can go home and get a bit of perspective on things.
“I went home and just said: ‘Let’s get back to what I’m good at’ and it didn’t take long to start playing well again. I put it behind me. I don’t really think about it. I look on it as an experience more than anything.
“I think most good players will bounce back from situation like that. I played with Michael Classic in the Heineken Classic earlier this year and it was not pretty. I honestly thought he had a bit problem. I didn’t think I was looking at a future US Open Champion – but he didn’t look as if he had many problems a couple of weeks ago!”
Björn believes the cathartic experience has made him a stronger person. As to whether he is now a better player, he will wait until his career has reached the twilight hours before he passes judgement on that particular question.
Donaldson joined Björn at the business end of the tournament less than a year after suffering problems of his own. A severe back injury left him on the sick list from April to October and unable to maintain the rapid progress he had made in his short professional career.
He revealed: “I spent all last summer in the gym trying to strengthen my core muscles and get my back sorted out. I took the last three weeks off because I was struggling again after playing a very hilly course at Celtic Manor. Maybe I had let things slip a bit in terms of my gym work and this proves I can’t afford to do that. I have to keep working on it.
“It feels better now and it’s good to be back out here again. I had a sneaky look at the leaderboards today to see what was going on and now I am looking forward to being out in the last group, which is fantastic.”
Clarke, meanwhile, shrugged off his sore left knee by saying: “It is a little bit sore, but I will put some ice on it tonight and it should be fine in the morning. I don’t have a problem hitting the ball. It’s just when I am walking between shots that I have a problem.”
After a second round 71, to join Denmark’s Anders Hansen (70), Jonathan Lomas of England (72), Brett Rumford of Australia (71) and England’s Graeme Storm (71) on 140, Clarke was satisfied with his position.
“I am pleased with my score and m y position” he added. “I didn’t quite expect to be in as good a position but I played a lot better today and yesterday and stayed very patient, even when I was burning the edges of the hole.”
Rumford, meanwhile, was effusive about his life on Tour since winning the Red Bull Final 5 competition at the Nissan Irish Open, close to The K Club at Carton House, in May.
Rumford won 10,000 air miles on a private jet to travel to and from European Tour events and he revealed: “I have only used it once to fly to Paris and I thought, what better venue than Paris to fly into in a private jet? I have a £50,000 credit with one of the companies and the Paris return used u £9500 on that. I guess it’s how the other half live and it is a lot of fun.”
Lomas, with just one bogey in 36 holes, admitted he was tired after playing 36 holes in The Open Championship Qualifier at Sunningdale on Monday, but was relieved that he resisted the temptation to withdraw this week.
“Maybe I should have pulled out, but I don’t like to give up, so I gave it a go there and got a couple of good nights sleep. We will just sit down tonight and make another plan and see how it goes.”
First round leader Trevor Immelman of South Africa struggled round in 74 to finish on 142, two under par, one behind fellow countryman, Retief Goosen, who shot a74. US Open Champion, Michael Campbell, followed an opening 74 with a level par 72 to make the cut comfortably on 146, two over par.
Welshman Stephen Dodd won a magnum of Laurent Perrier champagne and a weekend for two at The K Club after sinking his six iron tee shot from 169 yards at the third hole.
