Justin Rose produced a battling performance to stave off the challenge of the Carnoustie course and survive the halfway cut in the Open yesterday.

The Hampshire player arrived at the monster par-four 18th - rated the most difficult closing hole in golf - knowing that any repeat of his first round performance would very likely be seeing him pack his bags for an early exit.

He stood on the tee at three over par - with the likely cut mark coming at four over - having taken a six on the same hole on Thursday as he carded a four-over-par score of 75.

But Rose kept his nerve and gained his par to finish nine shots behind overnight leader Sergio Garcia but knowing that anything can happen over the next two days.

Garcia overcame early nerves to retain his two-stroke lead. But now comes the hard part for the 27-year-old Spaniard - 12 times he has finished in the top ten in majors, but not once yet has he achieved victory.

South Korean KJ Choi looked for a while as if he might at least draw level with him after birdies at the 14th and 15th brought him one behind. But he was almost in the Barry Burn with his closing drive and with a bogey five had to settle for a second successive 69.

Choi was still second on his own in the clubhouse, one ahead of Garcia's countryman Miguel Angel Jimenez and Canadian Mike Weir.

Sadly for the Irish fans, Paul McGinley, second overnight, hit early trouble and was down to level par with two to play, while 18-year-old amateur Rory McIlroy failed to rediscover the magic of an initial 68 that had put him joint third.

But even with a 76 he was safely inside the likely halfway cut mark at two over - and that was more than world number two Phil Mickelson could say.

With a double bogey on the last he crashed to a 77 and six over. He looked certain to miss the cut, while Colin Montgomerie had to wait to discover his fate at five over after a 74.

James Rose writes on golf in the Daily Echo every Tuesday