GOLF/ European and US Tours: A Birdie blitz helped Welshman Bradley Dredge to a second-round 68 and a one-shot halfway lead in the Dunhill Championship. Dredge lies on 133 at the Houghton Golf Club, one stroke ahead of English pair Richard Bland and Mark Roe.
Dane Anders Hansen and South African Richard Sterne are a shot further back after the field had to contend with heatwave conditions for the second consecutive day in an event co-sanctioned by the European and Sunshine Tours.
Gary Murphy was the lone Irish player to survive the cut after a fine five-under-par 67 left him on six under and in joint 13th position. Peter Lawrie finished two shots outside the cut on one over, while James Loughnane crashed to a 79.
The six golfers on 136 include Belgian Nicolas Vanhootegem, whose eight-birdie 64 was the lowest round of the day, and local Trevor Immelman, winner of the South African Open last weekend after a play-off with Tim Clark.
Stephen Dodd, who shared the first-round lead with compatriot Dredge, slipped to a one-under 71, three strokes off the pace in the €760,000 championship while defending champion Justin Rose fired a five-under-par 67.
After an uneventful first nine, the 29-year-old Dredge birdied four of the first five holes coming home before his touch deserted him as he three putted a par-three.
"It was an up-and- down day in which I didn't take advantage of the par fives," said the fitness fanatic, who had 10 top-10 finishes on the European Tour last year. "I'm definitely ready to win now. I have had enough near misses so I will go all out this weekend. My iron play holds the key, as I tend to be a little inconsistent," said Dredge.
Lee Westwood, the 2000 European Order of Merit winner, continued his recovery from a spell of poor form with a 67, leaving him five shots behind Dredge.
On the US Tour, South African Retief Goosen and Kenny Perry carded 64 to share the lead after the first round of the Sony Open in Hawaii. They were one stroke ahead of Chris Riley, Chris DiMarco and South African Brenden Pappas and two in front of a large group that includes Ernie Els of South Africa.
After last week's birdie fiesta in the season-opening Mercedes Championships on nearby Maui, low scores were considerably harder to come by in a moderate breeze at Waialae Country Club.
