Ford reveals his drive as Parry stays close

Ford took advantage of calmer conditions for the morning starters to card six birdies and an eagle, with his only blemishes coming on the ninth and 17th.

That left the 36-year-old 11 under par and one ahead of Spain’s Eduardo de la Riva, who also returned a 66 containing eight birdies and two bogeys.

Ford, who was about to spend a winter working for Royal Mail before coming through November’s European Tour qualifying school at the 10th attempt, said: “I don’t think you can ever get all of it out of the round.

“I missed a short one on 17 and hit a poor tee shot off nine, so those were a couple of mistakes, but you’re always going to make a few of those. I would have taken 11 under at the beginning of the day.”

Harrogate’s John Parry is just four shots off the lead after adding a 69 yesterday to Thursday’s 68. He dropped just one shot all day.

Sheffield’s Matt Fitzpatrick remains on three under par after a 72 while Malton’s Simon Dyson joined him on that number after shooting seven birdies in a 66.

World No 1 Rory McIlroy threw a club into the water in frustration after more erratic play in the second round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship yesterday.

McIlroy had just recorded his third birdie of the day on the seventh to get back to level par for the tournament when he pulled his approach to the par-five eighth – a hole he had eagled on Thursday – into the water.

And after a few seconds’ thought the 25-year-old then hurled the offending long iron into the water. Sheffield’s Danny Willett dropped six shots in a four-over par 76 that left him five over par going into the weekend.