Higgins on fire in Madeira heat

IRELAND’S David Higgins fired a six under par 66 to position him on the shoulder of leader, Kyron Sullivan of Wales at the halfway stage of the Madeira Island Open.

Sullivan carded a two under 70 for a 10 under par halfway total of 134 and only leads because the Waterville man's 66 was marred by a bogey at the 18th.

Sullivan admitted he was treating the event like a major championship, but Higgins prefers to take a more relaxed approach.

The 32-year-old Kerryman had the course record in his sights at one stage of his second round, firing six birdies in eight holes to race to the turn in 30 and then picking up another shot on the 10th.

Four more birdies over his last eight holes would have given Higgins a share of the course record of 61 set by Stephen Scahill in 1998, and even Bradley Dredge's score of 60 not an official record due to the preferred lies in operation at the time was in danger. But the birdies dried up and a bogey on the last meant he had to settle for second in the clubhouse.

"It's a big event but I wouldn't think about it in a different way and just try to treat it like I do every other event," said Higgins, who has already finished third and second in two Challenge Tour events in Mexico and Guatemala this season.

"Sometimes if you put the goals too high you don't play as well as you should but I'm comfortable here, I like this course and I feel that I can do well. I just have to be patient.

"This is my fifth time here, I played here in 1996 and it was nothing like this. I think it is much fairer now. If you play well you'll have a good score, whereas before anything could happen."