WORCESTERSHIRE golf ace John Bickerton is three shots off the lead at the half-way stage of the Spanish Open.

The Droitwich Golf Club member shot a five-under-par 67 yesterday to share eighth place on 138, hitting six birdies in an impressive round at the El Saler course in Valencia.

However, Hereford's David Park went home early after a second round of 77 left the Burghill Valley member on a six-over-par total of 150.

Darren Clarke stepped up his challenge with a 68 for a share of the half-way lead.

The Ulsterman surged thr--ough the field with another impressive display of shot-making to finish with a 36-hole total of 135, alongside Roehampton's Andrew Raitt.

Both lay a shot clear of Swedish trio Carl Pettersson, Jarmo Sandelin and Robert Karlsson.

Clarke though will again have been left with the nagging feeling his four-under-par round should have been much better.

Once more he raced out of the blocks with a barrage of birdies, moving to six under par for the day by the 12th hole.

But again, the 32-year-old's putter suddenly ran cold and he bogeyed both remaining par-threes, the 12th and the 17th.