McEvoy ready to lead from front

RICHARD MCEVOY’S mettle will be tested to the full today after his lead in the Omega Hong Kong Open was cut by defending champion Fredrik Jacobson, a man in no mood to relinquish his title without a fight.

Just as it appeared tour rookie McEvoy's 10-under-par total of 130 would secure him a five-shot lead heading into the weekend, Jacobson put together a late charge.

The stylish Swede sunk six birdies in his 65 to finish three strokes back and with his compatriot and last year's runner-up Henrik Nystrom lurking on five under, the race is on.

McEvoy has experience of winning from the front but only in amateur golf and the pressures he needs to withstand for a wire-to-wire victory in Hong Kong this weekend are incomparable.

Jacobson is on the warpath and the four-strong group six shots off the lead, which includes Padraig Harrington, believe they have every chance of landing the first title of the 2004 European season.

But the 24-year-old McEvoy, who won the six-round tour qualifying school last month to secure his card, is a naturally laid back character and insists he will remain unfazed.

"I was very relaxed today," he said, having teed off with a four-stroke advantage.

"Because I have got such a solid game I don't really put myself under that much pressure when I am playing. It's nice to be at the front, I love being out there and enjoy having fun all the time.

"This will be my first time leading a tour event into the weekend and I am just going to play exactly the same as I have been these last two days.

"I was leading at the Lytham Trophy when I won there and the Irish Amateur I was leading when I won there. I like being in front and I feel very comfortable."

McEvoy's was not quite the blockbusting display of yesterday, but his two dropped shots on his fourth and 16th were followed up each time with birdies.

He was fortunate too, when a lucky ricochet off a tree saved him from at least one dropped shot on the 18th his ninth and will want that luck to hold until Sunday evening after watching Jacobson close in readiness for an assault on the lead.

"I wanted to get a little bit closer before the weekend. It was a good day, only the one bogey and six birdies. I have got myself into a good position now," said the Swede.

"If you are within seven, eight shots with two days to go you are always in with a chance, but the closer you can get the more pressure it puts on the player in front.

"I have started to close the gap. I was six behind yesterday and only three behind into the weekend so I feel as if I am in a good position."

Peter Gustafsson recovered from yesterday's 72 by sinking an impressive seven birdies to finish alongside Harrington, Hennie Otto and Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng on four under par.

"There is a long way to go in this tournament," said Harrington, who carded an unspectacular 69.

"If someone can shoot 10 under for the first two rounds, someone else may shoot 10 under for the next two rounds. There is only one guy ahead and the field is still in the hunt."

Scotland's Steven O'Hara and Amandeep Johl of India had begun the day in second place but each carded one-over-par rounds of 71 and enter the weekend on three under, along with Darren Clarke.

The Irishman's promising day was wrecked by a double-bogey six on the 14th his fifth and another dropped shot three holes later.

The inconsistencies Nick Faldo bemoaned yesterday returned with a vengeance as he shot six birdies and eight bogeys to finish on one over.

It was enough to keep him in the tournament for the weekend, with the cut at plus two, but will do little for his mood.

There were no such frustrations for South African Tyrol Auret, though, who produced a moment of magic for a hole in one on the 149-yard par three second.