Friday July 15, 2011, 09:58 AM

Overnight leader Tom Lewis dropped off the pace as the second round of the British Open got under way here Friday with benign weather conditions inviting a day of low scoring at Royal St George's.

English amateur Lewis electrified the field on Thursday when he carded a five-under-par 65 to grab a share of the lead alongside Danish veteran Thomas Bjorn, the lowest total by an amateur in Open history.

But the 20-year-old was in trouble early in his second round on Friday, when a bogey at the par-four fourth hole saw him drop back among the chasing pack to leave Bjorn and American Lucas Glover out in front.

Lewis had started safely enough, notching pars on the opening three holes. But it all started to go wrong on the fourth when his tee shot found a fairway bunker before he eventually scrambled a bogey.

Lewis's troubled start meant Glover and Bjorn were out in front. Glover was one under for the day after picking up two birdies on the front nine.

The other early mover Friday was Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke, who was one under for the second round after nine holes to put himself within one of the lead at four under alongside Webb Simpson and Miguel Angel Jimenez.

The highlight for Clarke was a monstrous 90-foot eagle putt on the par-five eighth, a hole he had bogeyed in the opening round.

Overnight leader Bjorn, who only earned a late place in the field following the injury withdrawal of Vijay Singh, was to tee off at 12:26 (1126 GMT) after his superb opening round.

Bjorn's five-under-par 65 provided Thursday's most heartwarming storyline as he returned to the scene of his infamous 2003 collapse to take the lead.

Bjorn's last appearance at St George's eight years ago saw him blow a three-shot lead with four to play to allow unknown American Ben Curtis to swoop in an steal the famous Auld Claret Jug.

Tournament favourite Rory McIlroy, the newly-crowned US Open champion, is six adrift of the leaders after an opening one-over-par 71 but knows better than anyone how quickly a Major championship leaderboard can change.

McIlroy is joined on one-over by the top two ranking players in the world, English pair Luke Donald and Lee Westwood, while top American hope Phil Mickelson, at 41, was just ahead of them at level par.

Meanwhile South Africa's Retief Goosen withdrew from the Open Friday after damaging his back in the first round, where he shot a six-over-par 76.

© 2011 AFP/sid