Dredge slides away

Welshman Bradley Dredge lost his grip on the Smurfit Kappa European Open in wet and windy Dublin this afternoon.

Dredge, paired with the World Cup-winning partner Stephen Dodd, was three clear after three early birdies in the third round.

But as conditions worsened the 33-year-old ran up a bogey on the long seventh, was in the water for a double bogey at the 13th, drove into rough to drop another shot on the next and bogeyed the 15th as well.

Dredge was back to seven under as a result and suddenly down in fourth place.

Londoner Antony Wall, who turned in 35 and then birdied the 11th, 14th and 15th, took a two-stroke lead, but then bogeyed the 16th to be just one ahead of Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke and Spaniard Jose Manuel Lara.

Earlier Paul McGinley, who expected to be watching sports day at his children’s school this afternoon, instead capitalised on a massive stroke of luck and reigniting his bid for the Ryder Cup.

The 39-year-old finished his second round in 91st place at lunchtime yesterday and thought he had no chance of surviving the cut.

Six hours later, however, and after he had nearly flown home to London he received the news that he was still alive in the £2.4million tournament.

This morning he fired a five under par 67 to charge through the field – and with a forecast of bad weather later in the day everything appeared to be going in his favour all of a sudden.

“I was on a 5pm flight yesterday, but it was delayed until 5.45pm and at a quarter past my wife rang and said the scores were tumbling and I’d better hang around,” commented McGinley.

“If the flight hadn’t been delayed I probably would have gone. There was also a bomb scare at Dublin Airport, but Aer Lingus were brilliant. They got me off the flight, found my case and delivered my clubs later.”

This season McGinley, the match-winning hero of the 2002 Ryder Cup and unbeaten in Detroit two years ago, has slipped from fourth to eighth in the points table and was concerned a third cap was slipping away from him.

“I was in a slump – no doubt or question about it,” he added. “I’ve analysed every part of my life and my game and this proves to me I’m on the right track. It definitely gives me a boost.

“I don’t think it’s been pressure. I’ve just lost my form. All I can put it down to are the peaks and trough that every professional sportsman has.

“Hopefully I’m entering another peak. I need it.”

McGinley’s six birdies moved him onto the three under par mark of 213 and made him the early leader in the clubhouse until Lee Westwood, another fighting his way out of a slump, also scored 67 to be four under.

Because of the predicted bad weather forward tees were in use at the first, third, fifth and 16th holes, reducing the length of the lay-out by a total of 128 yards, while hole locations were moved to more sheltered areas and the decision was also taken not to cut the greens.

And the overall length was further reduced by moving several other tees to forward positions on the back tees.

Padraig Harrington had a good morning too, scoring a 69 to improve to two under.

McGinley had been paired with Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam in the first two rounds, but said that far from it applying the pressure on him it had been beneficial.

“Woosie was supportive, not on my case. That’s what you want from a captain - you don’t want to feel under pressure when he’s around and I didn’t. The captain is very important now.”