The Australian quintet of Adam Scott, Stuart Appleby, Robert Allenby, Nick O'Hern and Peter Senior were fighting for places on the practice range after disappointing displays on the second day of the AMEX Championship in Ireland.

Scott and Appleby slipped from a first round share of second place and just one stroke from the lead to end the second round sharing 22nd place after similar rounds of 74 in the $US7 million ($A9.64 million) event.

Allenby dipped from a day one tie for eighth to a share of 29th after a round that included a 14th hole double bogey along with three other bogeys in the Victorian's score of 74.

O'Hern, who also started the second day tied in eighth place, dropped to join Scott and Appleby at three under par after recording a third hole double bogey also in his score of 74.

Senior, who is competing in the World Golf Championship courtesy of finishing top-three on the 2003/2004 Australasian Order of Merit, began his round well placed on three under par but walked off on day two back in 36th place after a score also of 74.

All five trail leader Ernie Els, who carded a superb eight-under-par 64 in wet and miserable conditions.

Scott, a double winner on this year's US PGA Tour, struggled right from the outset when he found water that runs all the way down the left side at the par three, third hole.

He was also in trouble at the 10th after needing four putts from 25 metres that resulted in a bogey for the Queensland star.

"It was one of those days where I never got anything going," said Scott.

"It was a slow start and then to take a double at the third didn't help my cause whilst I four putted at the tenth for bogey.

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