Harrington maintains impressive form

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON is in joint third place at the Nedback Golf Challenge, having led for much of the day. Harrington’s 69 was a continuation of his excellent late-season form — but it could have been even better.

The 35-year-old won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October and clinched his first Order of Merit title with second place at the Volvo Masters at Valderrama.

The Dubliner was also sixth at the HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai, before beating world number one Tiger Woods in a play-off at the Dunlop Phoenix event in Japan earlier this month.

Five birdies and one bogey took Harrington to the turn in 32 and into a two-shot lead, but he dropped shots at the 14th and 15th.

Sweden’s Henrik Stenson holds a one-shot lead after a five-under-par 67 at the Gary Player Country Club.

The 30-year-old picked up birdies at the second and ninth holes to be out in 34 before picking up further shots at the 10th, 14th and 15th.

Former US Open champion Jim Furyk is in second place on four under after a similarly error-free 68, with European Ryder Cup team-mates David Howell and Harrington sharing third on three under.

lThe first ever drug testing at the World Amateur golf championships has resulted in no positive findings.

The International Golf Federation selected six players at random during each of the women’s and men’s competitions in Stellenbosch, South Africa last month and all samples collected were negative for prohibited substances.

Tests were conducted by the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport.