Irish Trio Miss Kenyan Cut

The Irish interest in the Kenya Open ended on Friday when all three players - David Higgins, Niall Kearney and Cian McNamara - missed the cut .

A second round 72 was not enough for Higgins of Waterville, missing out by one stroke.

Cian McNamara signed for a 78 on day two and at nine over was unable to progress.

Niall Kearney ended twelve over par on Friday and well outside the cut.

It was Morten Orum Madsen who maintained his position at the top of the leader board after the second round of the Barclays Kenya Open as a battling one over par 72 left him one shot clear.

The Dane reached six under par, just ahead of England’s Seve Benson and local favourite Dismas Indiza, who was the only player from the top three to shoot under par in tougher conditions at Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi.

Madsen opened brightly with a superb birdie on the par five tenth, his first, after finding heavy rough from the tee, but found the second day a much more challenging test.

“It was a struggle today,” he admitted. “The wind was up a little more than yesterday and I didn’t play well. I was out of bounds on the 18th which was a silly mistake, and I made a bad bogey on the ninth – my last – which leaves a bad a taste in the mouth. I had a bad lie in the rough from my tee shot and could only hit it 20 yards forward.

“I hung in there, so I’m not too unhappy with one over. The greens are tricky and it’s tough to pick the right club because of the altitude, so there are a lot of factors making it quite a challenge. I’m not surprised there weren’t many low scores out there today, and I’m happy to still be in a good position heading into the weekend.”

Madsen, who was runner-up in the last Challenge Tour event, the Pacific Rubiales Colombia Classic, added: “I can now regroup and get ready for tomorrow – I’m looking forward to hopefully challenging for the title like I did in Colombia.”

While Madsen stayed out in front for the majority of the day, Kenyan Indiza was drawing the most attention, with the local crowds out in force in support of the 44 year old.

He duly impressed, posting birdies at the 15th, 18th and fifth holes for a one under par 70.

“I’m very happy to be in this position,” he said. “I was very nervous today so to shoot one under par is very satisfying. The course is great, but it’s very different from the one I played last week, which was wet with soft greens. Here it’s difficult to stop the ball on the greens because they are so hard.”

One of the highlights of the day came at the par five 18th, Indiza’s ninth, where his second shot came within millimetres of dropping into the hole for an albatross, drawing huge cheers from the galleries.

“I hit a great shot in and all the people watching went crazy – that was fantastic,” he said. “But I missed the short eagle putt, which was very frustrating.

“I missed a short one on the 17th and then another on the first, so I was shaking and thinking I was throwing away the tournament with bad putts. But luckily I held it together for the last few holes and I’m delighted to be up there near the top of the leaderboard going into the weekend.”

Benson also found it tougher going after an opening round of 66 and, while he could not overtake Madsen, his four birdies and four bogeys meant he signed for a level par 71 to close the gap from two shots to one.

“It was a mixed round - some good and some bad,” said Benson, a two time Challenge Tour winner. “I really didn’t sleep well last night and probably only got about four hours, so I was shattered this morning when I teed off.

“I made a shocking start with bogeys at the first, sixth and seventh, but I managed to make up for it a bit on the back nine and get back to level par.

“It was just a question of hanging in there, and I managed to hole some nice putts. It felt like the course was playing longer today because it was colder and there was no wind, so it was tricky. It’ll be interesting to see if anyone goes low this afternoon. I’m in a decent position and overall I’m pretty happy with the start I’ve made.”

Lawrie Shares Lead Day Two

Peter Lawrie turned in a one over par 37 to leave six players tied for the lead during the second round of the Sicilian Open.

Lawrie led overnight after an opening course record 64 at Verdura Golf Resort & Spa, but mixed two bogeys with a single birdie after starting his second round on the back nine.The former Open de España winner then bogeyed the first, but a birdie at the third brought him back into a share of the lead with Wales’ Jamie Donaldson, England’s David Lynn, Austrian Bernd Wiesberger, Dutchman Maarten Lafeber and Dane Søren Kjeldsen.

Donaldson, seeking a first European Tour title in his 249th appearance, carded three birdies and three bogeys over his first 13 holes, Lynn was two under with three to play, Wiesberger two under through 12, Lafeber three under for the day after ten, and Kjeldsen was amongst the afternoon starters.

On a very congested leaderboard nine players were tied for seventh just one off the pace, and an incredible 31 players were within two shots of the lead.

At the end of the day Ducthman Maarten Lafeber was delighted to return to form as the Dutchman claimed a share of the halfway lead at the Sicilian Open. The 37 year old, a former winner of the KLM Open, had to return to the Qualifying School last season after finishing 149th in The Race to Dubai.

On a fascinating day at Verdura Golf Resort & Spa near Sciacca, Sicily, Lafeber’s second straight round of 68 was enough for a share of a six-way tie for the halfway lead on eight under par, with Jamie Donaldson, David Lynn, Pelle Edberg, Simon Wakefield and first-round leader Peter Lawrie also sitting at the top of a congested leaderboard.

“Yesterday I probably played my best round for a couple of years, and today again I was very solid,” said Lafeber.

“I’ve been disappointed with my putting, because I’ve created so many chances. Yesterday I hit 18 greens in regulation, and today was much the same. But I’m struggling to find the right line on the greens, so to shoot five under today was very good.

“Last year my long game was horrible – I was hitting it all over the place. I haven’t played well enough for the last two years, and to go to Tour School for the first time since 1997 was a bit of a shock. So I’m happy to be back playing well again.”

It could have been even better for Lafeber, who took the outright lead with his seventh birdie of the day at the 17th hole, only to then bogey the last.

“The bogey on the last was disappointing, but I made a bad swing and if you do that then you get punished,” he added.

“It’s looking pretty bunched at the moment. Jamie Donaldson is playing very well, and there’s some good players up there so it won’t be easy. It’s important for me to get off to a good start, and hopefully I can take more of the chances which come my way over the weekend.”

The leading six have three European Tour titles between them, with Lawrie’s win at the 2008 Open de España the most recent, while Lynn and Lafeber’s only victories came in 2004 and 2003 respectively.

Donaldson, who signed off with a round of 61 in Morocco last week, boosted his hopes of a first win at the 249th time of asking. The 36 year old, whose third-place finish last week was his 32nd top ten on The European Tour, added a 71 to his opening 65.

Like Lafeber, Donaldson could have led on his own but bogeyed the ninth, his last hole.

That came after he mixed three bogeys with three birdies on his outward nine, birdied the sixth from ten feet and had a second straight birdie at the par five seventh.

Edberg had six birdies, two bogeys and an eagle at the par five 11th as the Challenge Tour graduate seeks a first win on The European Tour.

“I played pretty well all day,” said the 32 year old. “It was quite cold first thing this morning, but I’m used to that! Then when it warmed up a bit the ball started flying a bit further, and I was able to make a few birdies.

“I’ve felt my form was close for a while now, but you never know in this game. Just when you think you’ve got it cracked, it all goes wrong. But I’ve been practising well out in Thailand for the past three months, and hopefully the work’s going to pay off.”

Lynn holed a 50-footer at the ninth for one of four birdies in a 69, while his compatriot Wakefield, who had the fourth runner-up finish of his career in Austria last season, signed for a bogey-free 67.

“It was just one those days when everything went right,” said Wakefield. “I hit every shot I wanted to hit, and managed to hole my fair share of putts, so I’m delighted.

“The company’s been great, the weather’s perfect and there aren’t many more scenic places like this to play golf, so I’ve really enjoyed myself. It makes you feel a bit more relaxed, and I play my best golf when I am relaxed.”

Lawrie was unable to build on his course record 64 in the first round, mixing three birdies with three bogeys in a level par 72.

No fewer than 25 players ended the day within two shots of the lead, amongst them American Major winners John Daly and Rich Beem.

Former US PGA Championship winner Beem had a second straight 69 for a six under halfway total, while Daly charged into a share of the lead before dropping two shots in his last three holes.

“Anybody can win this tournament, because there are so many players close to the lead,” said Daly. “So that makes it really exciting.”

With just five shots between the leading group on eight under par and the cut line on three under, the tournament equalled the European Tour record for the fewest number of strokes between the two marks.

The first and only time this happened previously was the 2004 Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dpolphin Energy, where the 36 hole lead was six under par and the cut mark was one under.

Padraig Hopes for Adare Moment

Padraig Harrington is hoping the move to his “favourite course” will inspire him to capture his second Irish Open title. 

Two months before sealing his maiden Major victory at The 136th Open Championship, Harrington prevailed in a play-off with Bradley Dredge to win the 2007 Irish Open and spark jubilant scenes at Adare Manor, in Co. Limerick.

Five years on, Harrington is a three-time Major Champion and, for the first time since 1953, Ireland’s National Open is being held north of the border, at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Portrush, Co. Antrim.

Harrington believes the 6,843 yards, par 72 course is the ideal venue to host the 57th edition of the historic event, which takes place from June 28-July 1.

He said: “There are a lot of things which make Portrush so special. It’s a very fair test of golf – if you hit good shots you’ll be rewarded with birdies, but hit bad ones and you’ll run up bogeys or double bogeys. You always feel like you can make a score round there, but it’s not as easy as you think, so you’ve just got to try to be fearless.

“It’s also a very scenic place to play golf, with some stunning views. Over the years I played a lot of amateur tournaments there, and the atmosphere was always second to none. The course is right in the town which is usually buzzing, so as a venue it’s got everything going for it.”

With Darren Clarke, Graeme McDowell and World Number One Rory McIlroy also confirmed there will be four Major Champions from the host nation in attendance at Royal Portrush Golf Club, and Harrington is expecting the Irish golfing public to stage their traditional show of support.

He said: “The people of Northern Ireland have always loved their golf. They always turned up in great numbers to support amateur events, so in some ways taking the Irish Open to Portrush is a reward for their support and loyalty. I can guarantee this year’s Irish Open will be as well-attended as any in the past, which should guarantee a great atmosphere.

“I understand that most of the tickets have been sold already and you can’t get a hotel room in the town, which tells you everything you need to know about how well-received it’s been. It’s also easily accessible from Belfast, so I’m expecting very big crowds during the tournament week.”

Harrington will be one of the favourites to succeed Simon Dyson as champion, and the 40 year old is hopeful of delivering Ireland’s first home winner since then-amateur Shane Lowry’s triumph in 2009.

He said: “I came close to winning the North of Ireland Amateur Open a fair few times but never quite managed it, so to win the first Irish Open to be held in Northern Ireland in my lifetime would be very special.

“But with the quality of the field, winning certainly won’t be easy. The Irish Open is in the middle of a really big run of events, with the BMW International Open the week before and the French Open the week after. I’m expecting a very strong turn-out from the European players, especially with The Open Championship being played three weeks later. The opportunity to test yourself on a links golf course in the run-up to The Open is a definite advantage, and I’m sure you’ll see many of the big guns from Europe heading over to Portrush.”

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