Dodd excels in Ireland

Welshman Stephen Dodd continued what is already the best season of his golfing career today by taking the half-way lead in the Nissan Irish Open at Carton House.

The 38-year-old from Cardiff, who after 10 trips to the qualifying school tasted victory in the China Open last November, added a 69 to his opening 70 for a five under par total of 139.

He leads compatriot Bradley Dredge and English pair David Howell and Nick Dougherty by a stroke, with course designer Colin Montgomerie five back and both Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke six behind.

While Clarke said his 75 – two birdies, then two double bogeys and three bogeys before a closing eagle – was “as much fun as going to the dentist”, Dodd is enjoying one of the sternest tests on the European tour for some time.

“The course is a bit tough, but it’s nice to play some tough ones,” said the 1989 British amateur champion, who has not even played in an Open championship since that year.

He was 229th in the world when he won in Shanghai, but is now 103rd and could yet qualify for next month’s US Open as well, although he is currently booked to go on holiday to Dubai that week.

Nobody should be surprised any more about his lofty position. He was second to Ernie Els in Dubai in March and his last three finishes have been sixth, fifth and 11th.

“I don’t really know how it’s happened,” he said. “I can’t explain it, but after winning I developed more confidence and believe in what I’m doing.”

Howell is itching to make instant amends for what happened in the British Masters last Sunday.

With over 30 top 10 finishes since his last victory in 1999, he was one ahead with one, but then missed the green three times in a row on the short 18th – all with a five-iron.

The first dropped him into a play-off with Thomas Bjorn and Brian Davis, the second had him scrambling to save par on the first extra hole and the third gave Bjorn the title.

“Most people are afraid to say ‘you wally’ to you, but that’s how I saw myself,” said the Swindon golfer. “I was really distraught to be honest – as gutted as I’ve ever been. The pressure got to me.”

Even though he is now a Ryder Cup hero, playing the European Tour’s ‘Shot of the Year’ in the victory in Detroit last September, Howell could not stop his heartbeat racing and his hands shaking when another chance came to end his six-year drought.

But after a few drinks on Sunday night he is back thinking positively and now he is back in the hunt as well.

“I will win sooner or later, I’m convinced of that. And I think it will be sooner rather than later.

“I’ve only ever had one afternoon with a sports psychologist and the gentleman didn’t work for me. I’ve always felt I’ve done really well with the physical game I have.

“I’ve coped with bad things on the course and I’ve handled myself very well under pressure many times. My career is going great, but if I keep playing as consistently as I am and we sit here this time next and I’ve not won we’ll think about it.”

Dougherty sings the praises of his “mind magician” Jamil Qureshi, who helped him win for the first time in Singapore in January and only two weeks ago had daily chats with Steve Webster as he broke through in Italy.

Joint leader with Swede Klas Eriksson after his opening 68, 22-year-old Dougherty settled quite happily for a 72.

“It was cold and it was raining and with a stronger wind as well there were a lot of long clubs into holes,” said the Liverpool golfer.

Like Dodd, Howell and Dougherty Dredge has one tour win to his name – the 2003 Madeira Island Open.

He was joint-second behind Webster and two closing birdies brought him a best-of-the-day 68.

Paul McGinley has high hopes still of becoming the first Irish winner of the title since John O’Leary in 1982.

Despite losing a ball and running up a seven on the long 15th McGinley is on three under along with England’s Philip Golding.

Barry Lane pulled out after only two holes because of a recurrence of knee trouble – he was four over at the time – while 16-year-old Rory McIlroy, in position after an opening 71 to become one of the youngest players ever to make the half-way cut on the circuit, crashed to an 81.

Jamie Spence, chairman of the tour’s tournament committee, did not even start his second round after being disqualified for a scorecard error.

The 41-year-old, playing on invitation after losing his tour card last year, described himself as “a plonker”, but will now be able to take his son to watch the FA Cup final.

“Out of darkness shineth light,” said the Arsenal fan.

139 Stephen Dodd 69 70

140 David Howell 70 70, Nick Dougherty 68 72, Bradley Dredge 72 68

141 Paul McGinley 72 69, Philip Golding 72 69

143 Simon Dyson 71 72, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 74 69, Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra) 71 72, Colm Moriarty 69 74, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 71 72, Oliver Wilson 72 71, Joakim Haeggman (Swe) 73 70, Rolf Muntz (Ned) 70 73

144 Angel Cabrera (Arg) 71 73, Klas Eriksson (Swe) 68 76, Lee Westwood 70 74, Colin Montgomerie 71 73, Lee Slattery 72 72, Mattias Eliasson (Swe) 69 75

145 Richard Sterne (Rsa) 72 73, Robert-Jan Derksen (Ned) 72 73, Peter Hanson (Swe) 72 73, Gary Murphy 73 72, Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa) 74 71, Ian Woosnam 73 72, Gordon Brand Jnr 72 73, Peter Gustafsson (Swe) 72 73, Padraig Harrington 73 72, Darren Clarke 70 75, Sandy Lyle 73 72, Peter Lawrie 74 71, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 72 73

146 Jonathan Lomas 73 73, Brett Rumford (Aus) 73 73, Eduardo Romero (Arg) 72 74, Francesco Molinari (Ita) 74 72, Richard Finch 71 75, Terry Price (Aus) 75 71, Carlos Rodiles (Spa) 73 73, Francois Delamontagne (Fra) 72 74, Simon Khan 70 76, Nick O’Hern (Aus) 73 73, Christian Cevaer (Fra) 73 73, Simon Wakefield 71 75, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 74 72

147 David Carter 74 73, Peter O’Malley (Aus) 69 78, Gary Emerson 76 71, Soren Hansen (Den) 76 71, Paul Broadhurst 72 75, Robert Karlsson (Swe) 72 75, Steven O’Hara 74 73, Richard Green (Aus) 73 74

148 Johan Skold (Swe) 72 76, Miguel Angel Martin (Spa) 72 76, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra), Scott Drummond 71 77, Joakim Backstrom (Swe) 74 74, Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 74 74, David Higgins 73 75

149 Graeme McDowell 73 76, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 73 76, Marcel Siem (Ger) 72 77, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 73 76, Kenneth Ferrie 73 76, Mark Roe 73 76, Leif Westerberg (Swe) 74 75, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 76 73, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 75 74, Michael Campbell (Nzl) 74 75, Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 72 77, Stephen Scahill (Nzl) 72 77, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 73 76

150 Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 77 73, Andrew Marshall 72 78, Stephen Gallacher 77 73, James Heath 74 76, Andrew Coltart, Pierre Fulke (Swe) 75 75, Alessandro Tadini (Ita) 75 75, Stuart Little 73 77, Andrew Oldcorn 72 78

151 Stephen Browne 75 76, Marten Olander (Swe) 75 76, Santiago Luna (Spa) 75 76, Mark Davis 75 76, Matthew King 73 78, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa) 73 78, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 75 76, James Kingston (Rsa) 71 80, Damian Mooney 70 81, Gary Evans 75 76, Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 76 75

152 Raymond Russell 75 77, Jan-Are Larsen (Nor) 76 76, (x) Rory McIlroy 71 81, Brad Kennedy (Aus) 75 77, Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 78 74, Philip Walton 73 79

153 Simon Thornton 75 78, Jamie Donaldson 79 74, Anthony Wall 76 77, Peter Fowler (Aus) 77 76, (x) Connor Doran 77 76, Neil Cheetham 79 74, Johan Axgren (Swe) 74 79, Henrik Nystrom (Swe) 76 77, Mark Murphy 76 77, Sam Little 74 79

154 Mikko Ilonen (Fin) 78 76, Patrik Sjoland (Swe) 73 81, John Dwyer 77 77, Darren Fichardt (Rsa) 79 75, David Park 79 75

155 David Lynn 74 81, Roger Chapman 76 79, Peter Senior (Aus) 76 79, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 77 78

156 Malcolm Mackenzie 78 78, Richard Bland 73 83, Wade Ormsby (Aus) 71 85, (x) Seamus Power 80 76

159 Brendan McGovern 79 80, Peter Baker 81 78, Paul Lawrie 81 78, David Gilford 80 79

160 Fredrik Henge (Swe) 79 81

161 Sven Struver (Ger) 79 82

Retired Barry Lane

Disqualified Jamie Spence, Christopher Hanell (Swe)