Garcia moves into contention

He goes into the weekend in third place four behind England's Ross Fisher, who added a 68 to his course record 63 and leads by one from Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell.

McDowell, two behind overnight, moved ahead with a morning 67, then Fisher, having played the Kent lay-out "blind" on Thursday, had four more birdies in his first 10 holes, bogeyed the 14th and 16th, but then closed with another birdie.

Colin Montgomerie and Ian Poulter, having matched each other with opening 70s, both improved three shots on that to be seven under, the same as Paul McGinley, for whom a top five finish on Sunday could secure him an Open spot.

For Darren Clarke that objective has gone. He missed the cut for a second week running, then was disqualified for signing for a par four on the last when he actually bogeyed it.

His only way to Birkdale now is to be in the top five at the Scottish Open.

Open champion Padraig Harrington had a 70, but at two under like Justin Rose appears out of the running.

It was Harrington who had marked a four down on Clarke's card, but the error was not as costly as the one which cost Harrington his place in the 2000 Benson and Hedges International. He was leading with a round to go when it was discovered he had not signed his first round scorecard.

Scot Stephen Gallacher, in the last group of the day, joined the group on seven under and still had four holes to play.

Gallacher would have finished joint fourth with Soren Hansen with a birdie in the last four holes, but instead he followed three pars with a bogey and slipped to six under with a 68.