Golf: Smyth loses lead

Des Smyth has lost the lead at the Madeira Open.

Malcolm Mackenzie now leads on nine under par after 27 holes.

Smyth has slipped to seven under and lies in third place, behind Andrew Oldcorn.

Phillip Walton is further back on five under.

Mackenzie had to make another visit to the qualifying school last year to retain his card and is desperate to avoid an unwelcome hat-trick.

Two top-10 finishes already this season have given him the perfect base and lifted his sights towards a maiden European Tour victory after 20 years on the circuit.

Further birdies on the 16th and 18th made it three in four holes to be out in 33 and back on top of the leaderboard at nine under par, one ahead of Oldcorn and two clear of Smyth who ran up a six on the 16th.

Sadly for Ballesteros the almost inevitable mistakes began to creep in to his game and two bogeys in three holes dropped him back to one under, around the likely cut mark, with nine holes to play.