Golf: Field close in on Smyth

Veteran Des Smyth clung on to a share of the lead on an increasingly crowded leaderboard in the Madeira Island Open.

No fewer than 21 players ended the first round within two shots of the lead, held by Smyth and England’s Malcolm Mackenzie on six under par.

And the pair were soon joined by three more players as the second round got underway at Santo da Serra, making it a five-way tie at the top.

In fact, Smyth’s two playing partners were the first to make the move to six under, Sweden’s Johan Skold and Scotland’s Andrew Oldcorn both making a birdie four at the par five 11th their second hole while Smyth’s bogey there dropped him back to six under after an opening birdie.

The following group were just one shot worse off between them with England’s David Lynn on five under and Mackenzie and Spain’s Jose Manuel Lara one shot better.

Sweden’s Jarmo Sandelin, one of only two of the world’s top 100 playing this week, had also picked up an early birdie to move to four under par while playing partner Seve Ballesteros, looking to make his first cut of the season, was one under.