Europeans in contention in Chicago

Luke Donald and Henrik Stenson, likely Ryder Cup team-mates next month, displayed the form that they hope will make them the men to end Europe's seven-year wait for a major winner on Sunday.

The pair jointly lead the United States PGA championship in Chicago at halfway with Americans Billy Andrade and Tim Herron on eight under par.

Stenson had his second successive 68 before lunch, then Donald matched that late in the day - just before Tiger Woods birdied the last to be only one behind with Australia's US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy and Ryder Cup hopeful Davis Love.

Woods, having given playing partner and great rival Phil Mickelson a three-shot start in the first two holes of the opening round, reached the 36-hole mark three ahead of him.

But Mickelson, who birdied the last to make up for bogeys on the previous two, literally had the last laugh.

As Woods was being interviewed in the rain the world number two held his umbrella over the Open champion's head, but then tilted it so that Woods' face was hidden and the name of Mickelson's sponsors filled the screen.

Donald and Stenson were not carrying European hopes on their own. Sergio Garcia, runner-up to Woods at the same venue in 1999, was on five under despite a triple bogey seven on his card, as was Stenson's fellow Swede Daniel Chopra.

Ian Poulter and Jose Maria Olazabal are just one further back and Lee Westwood three under - after two bogeys in his last three.

However, there was a cull of the British and Irish contingent. Colin Montgomerie, Padraig Harrington, Paul Casey, Stephen Dodd, John Bickerton, Kenneth Ferrie and Paul Broadhurst crashed out along with Greg Owen, Nick Dougherty, Bradley Dredge and Simon Khan.