Harrington falters as Grace hits the front

For the second day of the Volvo Golf Champions at Fancourt in South Africa, Pádraig Harrington finished with a double-bogey seven and, having also dropped shots on the previous two holes, the Dubliner’s 73 left him, and Open Champion Darren Clarke (68), with eight shots to make up to leader Branden Grace.

The lead is still four shots after two rounds but now it is local man Grace rather than Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts out in front.

Grace, last man into the European Tour’s winners-only event thanks to his victory at the Joburg Open last Sunday, shot a 66 to reach 12 under par.

Colsaerts, on the other hand, shot a 76 – 12 more than his course record first round – to drop to joint fifth.

While that was the joint worst score of the day, the best was a 65 from England’s Lee Slattery. And it not only lifted the 33-year-old from 22nd to joint second with Thomas Aiken, but also earned him a £25,000 car.

Playing partner Retief Goosen (68) received the same prize as they combined with English amateur Mark Vandenberghe to win the one-round team event.

Jose Maria Olazabal almost joined them in winning a car, lipping out for a hole-in-one at the short 17th, but Europe’s Ryder Cup captain was happy enough with a 68 to be in fourth spot on his own.

Only last month, 23-year-old Grace was at the Tour qualifying school in Spain, but he came through that six-day ordeal in joint 10th place and has been flying ever since.

“I’m just really enjoying it out there,” he said after grabbing eight birdies. “It’s probably my favourite course in the world and coming back here is a fabulous feeling, especially playing well.”

Slattery feared he would be at the Tour school as well – in his case for the ninth time – until he won the Madrid Masters in October.

“Winning certainly gives you belief,” said the 33-year-old from Southport after picking up an amazing 10 birdies just as Colsaerts had done in the opening round.

“That’s probably my best round out there, one I’m going to remember for the rest of my life.”

Olazabal insists that even if he grabs his first victory for seven years on Sunday it will not change his view about September’s match in Chicago.

“I’ve made that point very clear – there is no way,” said the 45-year-old Spaniard. “Even if I make the Ryder Cup (team) I will not play. I’ve answered that question.”

Meanwhile Irish interest in the Australian Amateur Open ended last night when Gary Hurley was beaten on the 18th in the second round.

The young West Waterford star lost two down to Germany’s Marcel Schneider despite a spirited late fightback at Woodlands Golf Club near Melbourne.

Hurely was one of four players nominated by the GUI to compete in a series of amateur events in Australia. Along with Muskerry’s Niall Gorey, Ballymena’s Dermot McElroy and Mourne’s Reeve Whitson, he will now play in the Lake Macquarie Amateur Championship (72 hole strokeplay) at Belmont Golf Club in Sydney from January 26-29.