A round up of today's other stories.
Wie pays penalty
For the second time in her nine-month professional career, American teen sensation Michelle Wie drew attention for all the wrong reasons after the second round of the Women's British Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes.
The 16-year-old broke the rules when she touched a lump of moss behind her ball on her backswing in a greenside bunker at the par-four 14th.
The infringement was caught by TV cameras and resulted in a two-shot penalty, turning a five into a triple-bogey seven and a round of 72 into a 74.
On 148, Wie still managed to survive the cut, but was way off the six-under-par 138 total posted by American leader Juli Inkster.
Wie learned of the problem from her agent when she walked off the 18th green, and it was confirmed in the scorer's hut that she had broken rule 13-4 concerning touching a loose impediment in a hazard.
Wie did not question the decision, freely admitting she does not know all the rules of golf.
"I knew I hit the moss but thought if you swung through it was okay," she said. "I guess I knew the rule wrong, but that's what happens when you're 16. It's a learning experience."
On her professional debut Wie was disqualified for inadvertently dropping the ball nearer the hole after taking a penalty drop-out.
Smyth tied fourth
Des Smyth had a triple-bogey seven on his opening hole of the Wentworth Seniors Masters yesterday, and also bogeyed the fifth. But he then found five birdies, including three on the trot from the 12th, and an eagle at the 10th to sign for a three-under-par 69 that left him tied for fourth, just three shots behind leader Stewart Ginn of Australia.
Smyth pulled his opening drive beside a bush and was left with a desperate stance among the thorny branches. He tried to punch the ball out but completely missed it.
"I had a complete fresh-air shot - didn't move it at all. I was shell-shocked," admitted Smyth, who eventually got his ball back into play at the second attempt, missed the green with his fourth shot and then failed to get up and down.
"It took me a while to get back on the recovery trail and the eagle at the 10th was a great boost," he said.
"I am now right back in the game, so in the end I am happy."
One shot behind Smyth was the 71-year-old Englishman Neil Coles, the chairman of the European Tour, who beat his age with a 70.
Sam Torrance proved that you are never too old for a bit of fatherly advice. Having missed the cut in last week's Senior British Open, Torrance turned to his dad, Bob, for help and received a simple piece of instruction: return to your old grip.
The response was a solid round of 70, which leaves Torrance four shots adrift of Ginn, who set the pace with a brilliant round of 66. Buick under water
Jeff Sluman, on 11 under par (66, 67), held a one-stroke clubhouse lead during the weather-delayed Buick Open in Michigan. Harrison Frazar, who shot an eight-under-par second round of 64, was one shot back along with Jim Furyk.
Overnight leader Mike Weir, who had been among the early starters on Thursday avoiding most of the torrential rain that brought an early end to play, was among the last to go out last night. In the first round he returned a bogey-free, nine-under 63 at the waterlogged Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club.
Vijay Singh, the twice defending champion, shot 64 to sit one back of Weir. The Fijian was also out late yesterday.
In brief
Women's Interprovincials: Leinster claimed their third straight win at Headfort Golf Club yesterday. It was their 28th outright victory in 42 years.
Having notched convincing victories over Connacht and Ulster, and despite losing the top foursomes match, Leinster were always in control in their final tie with Munster.
Challenge Tour: Michael McGeady is ready to perform a rain dance after an outstanding second round of seven-under-par 63 moved him into third place in the Ireland Ryder Cup Challenge at Killarney Golf Club.
The Donegal professional posted an 11-under-par score to be just two shots behind Spain's Juan Parron, who also shot 63.
