GOLF: McGrane slips off pace

IRELAND’S Damien McGrane, the overnight leader on 66, could not come close to matching that yesterday, with three bogeys leaving him with a 72 at the Ballantine’s Championship in Seoul.

That puts him into a three-way tie for fourth with Welshman Rhys Davies and England’s James Morrison on six under par for the tournament.

Australian Brett Rumford holds a three-shot lead after a blistering second round yesterday, but world number one Lee Westwood continues to struggle.

Rumford, well off the pace with a 71 on Thursday, went round in 63 yesterday, with five birdies on the opening nine and a strong finish marked by two more on the 17th and 18th.

The man from Perth, who won the last of his three European Tour titles at the Omega European Masters in 2007, now hopes for a chance to make up for last year, when he fell just short in second place.

Rumford’s was the best round of anybody by three shots, with that 66 managed by Soren Kjeldsen, who moved into a share of second place. He is level on seven under par with Miguel Angel Jimenez.

However, Westwood, who took over the world number one ranking last week, could only manage a 68 yesterday, still a considerable improvement on Thursday’s 72.