Westwood charge halted in Florida

Leaderboard: -6 K Stanley (US) -5 R Sabbatini (SA) -3 C Schwartzel (SA) -2 R Barnes (US) J Kelly (US) S Appleby (Aus) T Gainey (US) Selected others: -1 L Westwood (Eng) +1 L Donald (Eng) +4 R McIlroy (NI) G McDowell (NI)

Westwood slipped from second place on the leaderboard

Lee Westwood spoiled a promising second day at the Honda Classic with an error-strewn back nine to finish five shots behind leader Kyle Stanley in Florida.

The former world number one reached four under after the 12th to sit one off the pace but three bogeys in his last six holes pegged him back.

Luke Donald finished one over par with Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy on four over, two clear of the cut.

American Stanley leads on six under from South African Rory Sabbatini.

Westwood, who could reclaim the number one world ranking from Germany’s Martin Kaymer with a third place finish or better, started the day with a birdie and, despite a bogey at the third, was two under after birdies at seven and eight.

The Englishman fired two more birdies on the 11th and 12th and was looking in good shape going into the final six holes on a day of calmer conditions at the PGA National in Palm Beach.

But his putting stroke deserted him and three bogeys saw him slip to joint-eighth place, a position he shared with Americans Matt Kuchar, Gary Woodland and Spencer Levin as well as South Korean YE Yang.

World number three Donald, fresh from his WGC Match Play victory in Arizona last week, also endured a mixed day but his birdies at the ninth, 13th and 17th ensured he carded a 68.

“Played great today in tough conditions. I was a couple of three putts away from posting a really low one. Time to play catch up tomorrow,”

Donald posted on his Twitter account.

Northern Ireland’s McDowell, the world number four, had to settle for a one-over 71 to leave him at four over alongside McIlroy who enjoyed a late flourish with two birdies in the last four holes.

England’s Ian Poulter traded four bogeys with three birdies for a 71 and five over.

But Stanley’s six birdies ensured that he finished the day a shot clear of Sabbatini, who recorded the round of the week so far with a 64.