DIGEST/SUN CITY CHALLENGE: Lee Westwood's hopes of extending his advantage over the field took a watery dive at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City yesterday.
The Ryder Cup star was leading playing partner Stuart Appleby by one when he dumped his short approach to the par-four 17th in the lake guarding the front of the green.
That cost him a double-bogey six and dropped him to four under, one behind Appleby who finished with two pars for a 69, the best round of the week so far and a halfway total of five under par 139.
But the mistake did not cost Westwood too much as the rest of the 12-man field struggled with Nick Price and Retief Goosen the only other players to break par.
"The ball was setting up in the rough after my drive and I unfortunately hit it with the sand wedge," said Westwood.
"I'm still pretty pleased with the position I'm in going into the weekend.
"I birdied all the par-fives on the course today and by doing more of the same over the next two rounds, I think I am in with a chance," said Westwood
Appleby, the 33-year-old winner of this year's Mercedes Championship, shot four birdies and just one bogey - on the par-four eighth. Goosen and Price are tied third on three under after respective rounds of 71 and 70.
HONG KONG OPEN: Five weeks after Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia were in a play-off for the Volvo Masters title, three more of Europe's Ryder Cup heroes are battling for victory at the Omega Hong Kong Open.
While Poulter crashed out on five over par - "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" was his response when asked to comment after a closing triple bogey seven as Miguel Angel Jimenez moved to 11 under par with a second round 64 and David Howell is two behind following a 66.
Defending champion Padraig Harrington, meanwhile, slipped to joint third by shooting 68 on a day when both he and Nick Faldo confronted trigger-happy photographers.
Harrington admits Jimenez is probably the last player he wanted to be trailing by four strokes.
"He's obviously the man in form," he said of the Malaga golfer, who at the age of 40 is enjoying the best year of his career. A win on Sunday would be his fifth of 2004 - and his third in Asia.
AUSTRALIAN PGA: Rookie professional James Nitties shot a flawless second round of 65 to snatch the outright lead in the Australian PGA Championship.
Nitties made the most of the perfect conditions at Coolum on Queensland's Sunshine Coast to collect seven birdies and reach the halfway stage at 12-under-par 132.
That left him with a one-stroke lead over Texan Bob Estes who shot a 70 following his course-record equalling opening 63.
Last week's centenary Australian Open champion Peter Lonard birdied his final two holes for a round of 65 to move into a third place, a shot behind Estes.
Damien McGrane is on 139 after a second round 67 but Peter Lawrie missed the cut after a second 72 left him two shots adrift.
PGA TOUR SCHOOL: Dan Olsen fired a seven-under-par 65 at the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course to move to nine-under 135 and a one-stroke lead after the second round of the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament.
David McKenzie had seven straight birdies from the fourth at the Nicklaus Tournament Course. The Australian posted an eight-under-par 64 to jump to a tie for second place after two rounds.
Richie Coughlan is 12 shots back after a second round 71 while Keith Nolan is unlikely to survive the fourth round cut after an 82.
Three birdies and an eagle at the seventh had Coughlan in a good position after an outward nine of 33 but three dropped shot on the way home saw him slip back to a tie for 75th place.
LPGA Q-SCHOOL: Young Jo from Korea is the new leader at seven-under 137 after returning a second-round 66 in the LPGA Final Qualifying School at Daytona Beach, Florida.
American Curtis Cup player Paula Creamer (18), one of only two amateurs in the field, is sharing second place on 138.
Scotland's Kathryn Marshall and Vikki Laing failed to make any significant progress up the leaderboard.
Marshall followed an opening 74 with a 75 for a 36-hole total of five-over-par 149. That gives her joint 84th position with two rounds to go before the field is cut to the leading 70 and ties for the final round.
Vikki Laing from Musselburgh shot 76-77 for nine-over-par 153. California-based Lang is lying joint 121st with very bleak prospects of making the final top 30 who will gain exempt status for next year's LPGA Tour.
