Des Smyth remains firmly in contention at the halfway stage of the Madeira Island Open today.
The 48-year-old veteran shot a two-under par 70, which added to yesterday’s inspired 66, leaves him four shots behind the overnight leader on eight-under 136.
Smyth, who openly admits to waiting for the lucrative Senior Tour in two years time, was overtaken by the defending champion Niclas Fasth.
The Swede shot an impressive nine-under 63 and leads the rest of the field by two shots. He has already surpassed his winning total of nine-under from 12 months ago. The impeccable round consisted of nine birdies and as many pars in a bogey free round.
A pair of opening 67’s put England’s John Bickerton into second on his own at 10-under. He too, had a bogey free round and has yet to drop a shot after 36 holes.
Smyth is joined by no less than six others in a tie for third on eight-under. Those in the chasing pack include Scotland’s Andrew Oldcorn, England's Gary Emerson, Italy’s Massimo Florioli, Austria’s Markus Brier, Sweden’s Henrik Stenson and Jose Manuel Lara from Spain.
Fellow Spaniard Seve Ballesteros is at last making noises for all the right reasons. Plagued with poor form in recent years, Ballesteros will make his first cut of the year after shooting a four-under par 68. The Ryder Cup star trails Fasth by seven shots on five-under.
Paddy Gribben made some progress in his second round. The Warrenpoint player carded a one-under par 71 for a three-under halfway total 141.
Philip Walton failed to capitalise on the positive start he made yesterday. The former Ryder Cup hero shot a disappointing three-over 75 to drop back to a share of 45th place on two-under.
It wasn’t a good day for Gary Murphy either. The Kilkennyman slumped to a four-over par 76. Murphy’s three-over total 147 means he will not be around for the weekend.