BRITISH SENIOR OPEN: Gary Hallberg of the United States equalled the course record at a blustery Turnberry to lead the British Senior Open Championship by three shots after the second round.
The 54-year-old recovered from an early bogey on the Ailsa course to put in a superb burst of eight birdies in 13 holes on his way to a seven-under-par 63. It left him clear of first-round leader Bernhard Langer and American Tom Lehman.
Langer played steady golf in the windy conditions to reach the turn in par and went on to birdie the 11th. But a disastrous triple-bogey seven at the 13th, followed by another bogey at the 17th saw him slump to a round of 73.
Hallberg carded perhaps his most impressive three of the day at the 14th. Having missed the green to the right, one of his only errant shots of the day, the man from Illinois holed his 40-foot birdie putt from off the green.
An eighth birdie of the day at the long 17th helped seal a memorable day.
Englishman Roger Chapman’s bid to become only the second man after Gary Player to complete a senior Major grand slam following his triumphs in the Senior US PGA and Senior US Open championships ended in disappointment after he failed to start the second round because of a neck injury.
Mark McNulty’s challenge came unstuck in the second round as the Irish golfer slumped to a 75, 10 shots poorer than his opening effort, and dropped back to level par.
Des Smyth improved by five shots to post a level-par 70 and make the cut on five over, while a 72 from Denis O’Sullivan saw him make the weekend on the cutline at eight over.
Philip Walton (76) and Eamonn Darcy (74) were one and two shots outside the cut respectively.
LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR:Stacy Lewis of the United States finished with a three-under-par 69 to stay a shot clear of the field midway through the Evian Masters in France.
The world number three had an eagle, three birdies and two bogeys in her second round at Evian-les-Bains, to leave her 12-under par following her course record-equalling round of 63 on Thursday.
The 27-year-old Texan’s progress stalled with bogeys yesterday at the 12th and 14th holes but she recovered well with birdies at the 15th and 18th to stay clear of second-placed South Korean Ilhee Lee, who is 11 under after rounds of 66 and 67 in her first appearance in the tournament.
South Korea’s Inbee Park and the United States’ Paula Creamer share third place on nine under.
US TOUR:The American duo of Scott Piercy and William McGirt shared the early clubhouse lead in the second round of the Canadian Open in Ontario last night as they both made it to 11 under.
Piercy set a course record with an opening 62, and four birdies and a bogey in his second round saw him sign for a 67. McGirt had four birdies on the front nine and came in with a 66.
Robert Garrigus also carded a 66 and is a shot behind the clubhouse leaders on 10 under, while Vijay Singh is on eight under after a 67.
AMATEUR: A six-over-par 77 for an aggregate of 225 at Slovenia's Diners Club wrecked any chance Irish Girls champion Jessica Carty had of surviving the 54-hole cut in the European Ladies Amateur Championship.
Starting at the 10th she covered her first nine in 36 but then had three sixes in a 41 coming home. Any hopes Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) and Paula Grant (Lisburn) had of maintaining interest in the contest had long since disappeared as they were 17- and 21-over par respectively with three holes of their third round left. Ryan had two late birdies to finish with a 74 for 228, 15 over, while Grant remained on 21 over.
French star Celine Boutier leads the way at 13-under par, five strokes clear of the chasing pack.
Meanwhile, Carton House’s Marc Boucher is the best of the Irish heading into the final day of the European Young Masters over the Royal Balaton course in Hungary.
The Maynooth teenager returned a three-over-par 75 yesterday to add to his 76 the previous day for a 151 aggregate and is set to finish in the top half of the field.
Co Sligo’s David Brady handed in a 76 to add to his opening 78 but had the distinction of being one of the few players who could boast an eagle three on the 16th hole.
Ireland’s two girls, Olivia Mehaffey and Niamh McSherry, are well off the pace with totals of 160 and 178 respectively. Ireland are in 14th spot overall.
