Fasth chasing course record

English rookie Richard Bland set the clubhouse target on 10-under-par but Swede Niclas Fasth had the course record of 63 in his sights as he moved to 10-under with the leaders preparing to tee off for the third round of the Murphy’s Irish Open.

Bland, a 30-year-old rookie came into this tournament at Fota Island on the back of four missed cuts in a row, but he didn’t drop a shot and collected eight birdies to equal Colin Montgomerie’s course record 63.

‘‘I just played very, very nicely. I drove the ball well which was the key. You can set yourself up to attack some flags and I just holed a few putts out there,’’ he said.

‘‘It’s been a strange four weeks. I felt I hadn’t been playing that badly really. It’s my first year out here after a few seasons on the Challenge Tour.’’

Fasth finished joint second last year and the Swede, who makes his Ryder Cup debut in September, again showed his liking for the course, reaching the turn in 30 with an eagle and four birdies.

He picked up another shot at the 10th and parred the 11th to remain on 10-under with seven holes to play.

Nick Dougherty, who shared the first-round lead, improved on his second-round score by 10 shots, as his 64 took him to within a shot of Bland on nine-under.

Meanwhile, early starters Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell gave the home fans plenty to cheer.

Clarke needed a birdie at the 18th on Friday just to survive the halfway cut but having dropped a shot at the first, he picked up seven birdies for a 65 and a seven-under-par total.

Graeme McDowell, in only his second tournament as a professional, produced a brilliant birdie-birdie-eagle finish to match Clarke’s 65 and is also seven-under.

Overnight leader Peter O’Malley teed off on nine under par, with defending champion Colin Montgomerie just one shot back and poised to challenge for what would be a record fourth win in the event.

Scores

203 Richard Bland 69 71 63

204 Nick Dougherty 66 74 64

206 Graeme McDowell 70 71 65, Darren Clarke 71 70 65

207 Malcolm Mackenzie 68 73 66, Philip Price 71 70 66, Peter Hanson (Swe) 70 70 67

209 Stephen Dodd 69 72 68, Paul Lawrie 72 69 68

210 Justin Rose 72 69 69, Anders Hansen (Den) 71 70 69, Jarrod Moseley (Aus) 72 69 69,Nick O’Hern (Aus) 72 69 69, Christopher Hanell (Swe) 72 68 70, Diego Borrego (Spa) 69 71 70

211 Jeremy Robinson 70 71 70, Costatino Rocca (Ita) 71 70 70, Jonathan Lomas 68 72 71

212 Klas Eriksson (Swe) 71 70 71, Andrew Butterfield 69 71 72, Gordon Brand Jnr 67 73 72

214 Andrew Coltart 70 71 73

217 Russell Claydon 69 72 76