GOLF DIGEST:US/ASIAN TOUR: Licensed pilot Pariya Junhasavasdikul nailed five birdies over the closing seven holes to share the halfway lead with American Ben Crane at the Asia Pacific Classic yesterday.

Thai Junhasavasdikul, who tasted his maiden Asian Tour triumph at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters this month, blasted a six-under-par 65 to move to 11 under at the Mines Resort and Golf Club in Malaysia.

Three-times PGA Tour winner Crane fired a best-of-the-day 64 to soar into the lead at the €4.3 million PGA Tour co-sanctioned event.

Overnight leader Ricky Barnes and fellow American Ryan Moore were a stroke back with world number eight Luke Donald and Australian Adam Scott three strokes behind the leaders.

Three-times major champion Ernie Els ended the second round in a share of ninth place.

CHALLENGE TOUR:Colm Moriarty's hopes of securing an automatic European Tour card all but ended after he slipped further down the field on the third day of the Apulia San Domenico Grand Final in Italy.

The Athlone golfer needs to finish second at worst in Puglia to have any chance of winning a European Tour card awarded to the top 20 on the Challenge Tour standings after today’s final round. He is currently 42nd.

In tough conditions Moriarty dropped to six over and into a tie for 27th after a third round 73. The 31-year-old trailed overnight leader Daniel Gaunt by 12 shots after the Australian carded a 66 to lead by two on six under from Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger (70).

EISENHOWER TROPHY: Ireland flattered to deceive in the weather-affected second round of the World Amateur Team Golf Championship in Buenos Aires last night.

After kicking their heels most of the day in the clubhouse as a two and a half hour thunderstorm delay caused havoc with schedules the trio made an encouraging start and looked as though they might move speedily up the leaderboard.

Portstewart’s Paul Cutler opened with a birdie while Kevin Phelan, the Waterford golfer now at the University of North Florida, had a birdie four at the second hole. Irish champion Alan Dunbar started with a bogey five but birdied the second hole.

After just three holes Ireland were an aggregate of two under par and had improved their position to six over for the tournament and moved up the leaderboard by some 10 places.

The rain continued to lash down however and conditions worsened with Ireland starting to struggle. Cutler slumped to a double bogey six at the fourth while Phelan dropped strokes on each of three holes from the fourth.

Dunbar held firm with a run of pars to be level, putting Ireland at one over for the six holes played and nine over for the tournament.

Denmark became the new leaders completing their round at six under par for the event. They overtook both Canada and France who were late starters.

WOMEN'S TOUR:Rebecca Coakley of Team Ireland finished in a share of fourth place on day one of the Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open in China after carding a round of 69.

Coakley took the clubhouse lead early in the day only to see Frances Bondad of Australia shoot a five-under-par 67 to take the overnight lead. The 22-year-old leads by one shot from Thailand’s Nontaya Srisawang and Christel Boeljon of the Netherlands.

Martina Gillen signed for a two over par round of 74, Hazel Kavanagh is five over after a 77, with Tara Delaney a shot further back.