Desmond and McManus vie for honour of hitting shot of day
There wasn’t a professional on the Old Course looking forward to his confrontation with the dreaded 17th, otherwise known as the Road Hole. McManus, however, was completely unfazed. He simply reached for his trusty seven wood and cut in a glorious shot that landed like a feather on the green 20 feet from the cup. He safely two putted for his net birdie. McManus and Pádraig Harrington are the defending champions and if they haven’t quite struck the heights of last year as yet, they moved nicely up the field yesterday to stand 14 under par and sharing 18th place at the halfway stage, five behind the pacesetters, Emanuele Canonica and Gianluca Vialli and Soren Hansen and the ex-Dutch soccer player, Ruud Gullit.
Unfortunately, Vialli had to return to Italy last night because of business commitments. For the final two rounds, he is replaced as a marker by Scott McPherson whose scores will not count towards the team competition. That won’t harm the chances of Darren Clarke and Dermot Desmond replacing their compatriots as Dunhill team champions. They are now tied for 7th on 16 under and with Clarke in great form and Desmond seriously good at contributing when he is most needed, they are a very decent bet to claim the glory.
Desmond struck a huge blow when he sank a tricky six-footer across the slope of the 18th (their 9th) green for a par when Clarke had already taken bogey, but his moment of real glory came at the 352 yards 9th where his drive finished about 10 feet from the hole. His putt for an eagle two, net albatross, shaved the hole, but it demonstrated the kind of golf of which the nine handicap Desmond is capable. Gary Murphy, who sparkled with a 66 at Carnoustie on Thursday, wasn’t in quite the same spectacular form around the Old Course yesterday but this time his partner John Mahony was in fine fettle and helped the side to get up to 18th place alongside Harrington and McManus.
Although he looks one of the most laid back characters you ever set eyes on, Gary dispelled the notion: “I am usually too hard on myself and need to chill out. But I’ve really enjoyed the two days and playing with Des Smyth and the two Johns, Gleeson and Mahony, has been so refreshing.”
70 for eight under leaves the 30 year-old Kilkenny man perfectly poised to challenge for a huge cheque over the next couple of days. Birdies at the 5th and 9th saw him to the turn in 34 and seven under overall. He picked up another shot at the 10th and parred his way in. Harrington feels he is still in there with every chance, six off the pace after yesterday’s 69 that included three birdies in his last five holes. He accepts that his game still isn’t where he would like it to be, but believes there is now a lot of light at the end of the tunnel. “I’m nearly there and a few breaks may be all I need,” he mused. There are still signs of frustration with some of his shot-making, but he is still very much in love with this tournament and its format.
Des Smyth has given himself a chance of getting among the 60 professionals and ties who survive into tomorrow’s final round after yesterday’s 70 at St Andrews. He is now tied for 54th on two under. But Paul McGinley for the second successive day had a triple bogey, this time at the 18th., his 9th, at Kingsbarns, and finished on 72 for one under and among those tying for 67th. Graeme McDowell battled back with a 67 at Kingsbarns yesterday. He is on two over and sharing 115th place. Ronan Rafferty is 160th.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
