Lawrie retains share of lead

After his splendid opening round of 64 on Thursday, Peter Lawrie had to be content with an even par 72 in yesterday’s second round of the Sicily Open at the Verdura Golf and Spa Resort.

The 37 year-old Dubliner struggled badly on the greens, yet his score leaves him tied for the lead with five others on eight under par and ideally poised to capture his second European Tour title.

It was also a good day for Shane Lowry, who stands just one behind the six leaders — Lawrie, Jamie Donaldson of Wales, the Swede Pelle Edberg, Holland’s Maarten Lafeber and the English duo David Lynn and Simon Wakefield.

The hard luck story of the day was that of Kilkenny’s Gary Murphy, who missed the cut by one shot after taking a double bogey six at the 18th.

Having quit the Tour at the end of last season, Murphy played here after receiving an invitation on Monday morning and without a competitive round to his credit for six months. He looked safe when birdies at the 16th and 17th moved him to four under but he came undone at the 18th where he was left of the green in two, saw his third land on the green but roll back to his feet from where he took three more.

Paul McGinley and Simon Thornton, both one under, are on the way home while Gareth Maybin was on the cut mark of three under par.

The strength in depth on The European Tour has rarely been better showcased than over the last couple of days and the cut reflects remarkable scoring by any standards, with only five shots between the first and last players.

After the perfect playing conditions for the first round and for much of yesterday’s programme, a sudden and strong wind swept the superb Verdura course from the Mediterranean and made conditions extremely testing for the late starters.

John Daly, who stands two shots off the lead after a fine round of 67, reported how he had played an eight iron for his second shot at the 523 yards 14th in the first round but yesterday needed a full blooded three wood to get home. “On Thursday, I could do little wrong on the greens, today the putter went completely cold,” said Lawrie, whose only win on Tour came in the 2008 Spanish Open. “I missed three five-footers in-a-row from the 6th but to finish even par, having been two over, is a decent effort and I look forward to the weekend with confidence.”

Lowry was furious when he three-putted the 18th, missing from no more than 18 inches to miss out joining the leaders. He was unlucky to be out in the worst of the elements but made no excuses for that late lapse, blaming the miss on a “loss of concentration.”

Sixty five players survived into the weekend and among them are former USPGA champion Rich Beem and Daly, both six under, and promising young Englishman Tom Lewis on three under.

But to the disappointment of the Italian fans, the biggest casualty was their own 18 year-old star Matteo Manassero who could do no better tahn a couple of even par rounds of 72.