McNulty shares lead on ‘home’ ground

MARK MCNULTY, the Zimbabwean who took out Irish citizenship late last year, stayed on course for his first victory in his new homeland after easing himself into the race for the Senior British Open championship at a windswept Royal Portrush.

While Grand Slam winner Gary Player fell victim to the boisterous conditions with a gruesome 90, McNulty carded a battling three-under-par 69, one of only two sub-70 rounds, to jump into a share of the lead with last year’s runner-up Carl Mason, former US Seniors Open champion Don Pooley and American Pete Oakley.

McNulty was five-under for the day after 15 holes but his charge towards the outright lead was halted with a brace of bogey fives on the closing three holes. But on a day when the torrid squalls sent scores rocketing on the North Antrim coast, McNulty was delighted to emerge from the punishing Dunluce links unscathed.