GOLF DIGEST: Des Smyth had three birdies and three bogeys in a level-par 70 to jump up the leaderboard in the second round of the US Senior PGA Championship.
That left the Irishman four over par and in a share of 15th place midway through the second day's play at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York.
Mark O'Meara fired a scintillating, four-under 66 to grab the clubhouse lead on two over par.
Overnight leader Jay Haas, the only man to break par on day one, was a late starter.
US TOUR: Phil Mickelson survived a mediocre start to earn the clubhouse lead during the second round at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.
Mickelson could not take advantage of relatively calm early-morning conditions, posting one birdie and two bogeys in his first eight holes, but he clicked into gear with three straight birdies around the turn on his way to a two-under-par 68.
That gave him a seven-under 133 halfway total, one stroke ahead of Matt Kuchar (64) with half the field back in the clubhouse.
Stephen Ames, Vaughn Taylor, Kevin Sutherland and Brian Bateman were two strokes behind, while first-round leader Johnson Wagner had a late tee time.
LET: Norway's Suzann Pettersen carded a course record-equalling nine-under-par 63 to claim a five-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Swiss Open at Golf Gerre Losone.
Pettersen finished on 14 under par after claiming nine birdies to match that of first-round leader Rebecca Coakley from Ireland, who had a 63 on the opening day.
Coakley, who carded a 74 to share fourth place, said: "The front nine was good but on the back nine I hit a few bad iron shots and didn't get up and down.
"There were a lot of putts that shaved the hole whereas yesterday they were all going in."
CHALLENGE TOUR: After reaching the turn in 29, Mattias Eliasson's thoughts had turned to the magical mark of 59, but in the end the Swede had to settle for a round of 62 and the lead on 12 under par in the DHL Wroclaw Open.
Five consecutive birdies on his front nine at Toya Golf Club have put him in sight of his maiden European Challenge Tour title.
AMATEUR: Carlow's Karen Delaney will attempt to send a powerful message to Britain and Ireland selectors when she lines up in the 36-hole St Rule Trophy at St Andrews tomorrow.
Delaney has been omitted from the Curtis Cup side to face the Americans next weekend and she will be out to put down a marker.
Because of the Curtis Cup being played for the first time on the famous Old Course, this prestigious tournament has been reduced from its normal two-day affair to one of 36 holes over the one day.
Niamh Kitching of Claremorris, Maura Morrin from The Curragh, Deirdre Smith of County Louth and Cork's Gillian O'Leary are also competing.
