England's Robert Dinwiddie did not realise until yesterday that against his name in the European Tour media guide flies a Welsh flag.

The 25-year-old from Barnard Castle is taking it as a lucky omen. After a second-round 65 he is challenging for a first Tour title in the Wales Open at Celtic Manor.

Dinwiddie is the player, born in Scotland, who at Wentworth last week followed a first-round 78 with a course-record 63 and then finished with two 79s.

''I normally like to think of myself as being fairly consistent,'' said the Tour rookie.

''But this year has been fairly up and down. I think I'm just finding my feet to be honest.

''Even though the scores wouldn't have said so, I actually came here feeling pretty good about my swing.''

There was no question what was Dinwiddie's shot of the day, a 270-yard three wood over the water to six feet for a closing eagle three.

''I didn't actually hit that good a drive and I was debating whether or not I was going to go for it.

''But placing the ball (preferred lies have been in operation on the sodden fairways) you can get a perfect lie and although it was on a slight down slope I knew when I hit it that it was going to be close.''

The Wales Open resumes today with a little-known Australian in pole position.

Open champion Padraig Harrington crashed out of Celtic Manor when a second-round 74 sent him to his first missed cut on European soil since October 2006.

As Harrington went to hand in his scorecard he had a glance at the player being interviewed for television and it was a fair bet he knew as little about him as the watching crowd.

Scott Strange, a 31-year-old from Perth ranked 164th in the world, is the man the rest were trying to catch after marvellous rounds of 63 and 66 on the newly unwrapped lay-out where Europe and America will do Ryder Cup battle in two years' time.

Two wins on the Asian Tour have been the highlight of Strange's professional career so far, but in his first full season as a European Tour member he has already finished joint runner-up at the Johnnie Walker Classic in India.

''I'd love to win on every tour and to win here would be fantastic,'' he said.

''Playing in Asia is different to here, but I'm adapting quite well.''

Harrington liked what he saw on first view, but come the tournament he was never able to produce anything like the form that brought him his first major title at Carnoustie last July.

That remains his last victory, but he is staying upbeat about the US Open the week after next.

After bowing out on two over, a massive 15 strokes behind Strange, the Dubliner said he still felt good about Torrey Pines, adding: ''It's actually been quite a positive week.''

He thinks he has found something in his putting even though he admitted he putted ''abominably'' and said: ''This just convinces me to be more committed in my decision-making.

''You never like to miss the cut. It only affects you, but it is your own pride. It's an interesting game this - I could play a lot worse and make the cut.''

A hefty six-figure appearance fee was reported to have been paid for him to make a debut in the event (he preferred the Wales Open to last week's PGA Championship at Wentworth), but when that was mentioned Harrington just smiled and asked: ''How's the weather?''

The disappointment of his failure was more keenly felt.

''That doesn't help. I have enough experience of being in that situation that it doesn't get to you, but you are fighting it a little bit harder.

"It's not like I wasn't trying.''

As the second round headed towards its conclusion amid more showers, Strange led by four from a group which includes Dinwiddie, Benn Barham and also Spaniard Alvaro Velasco, who was last man on to the course and still had eight holes to play.

Colin Montgomerie's 68 for five under, one better than Darren Clarke, meant he was not out of the running, although it needs a major effort over the weekend just to get into the hunt, but last year's winner Richard Sterne and runner-up Bradley Dredge were heading out along with Harrington