Harrington Travels Well in Hartford

Padraig Harrington shot a 65 to lie three shots off Brian Davis’ lead after the third round of the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.

37-year-old was Davis level with American Roland Thatcher as they both emerged from the chasing pack to pull two strokes clear at the summit on 12 under.

John Rollins, James Driscoll and Stuart Appleby shared third on 10 under with Harrington on nine under alongside five others, including overnight leader Fredrik Jacobsen. Harrington made seven birdies in eight holes from the sixth in a vintage performance.

Davis made his move on the front nine with three pairs of birdies. His one dropped shot, at the 13th, was cancelled out two holes later as he came home in a level-par 35.

The Londoner is still searching for his maiden PGA Tour win and is best known for calling a penalty on himself during a play-off with Jim Furyk at the 2010 Verizon Heritage, denying himself the chance of victory but earning widespread praise.

Thatcher would have finished in the outright lead but for a bogey at the 17th, having made six birdies in a previously unblemished round.

Rollins matched Thatcher's five-under-par total despite a double bogey at the short eighth, also carding eight birdies and a bogey.

Driscoll eagled the par-four 15th in a 66 while Appleby's solid 67 featured only one dropped shot, at the fifth.

Jacobsen, who for the second year running at this tournament had finished his second round leading on nine under, took six at the par-four 10th and also made three bogeys, negating the effect of his five birdies.

His total was matched by Hoffman, who was halted in full flow by yesterday's early finish which came when he was on a run of five successive birdies. He slipped back to three under for his second round and a third successive 67 left him three shots off the lead.

The group at eight under featured Masters champion and 2010 winner Bubba Watson, Camilo Villegas, Robert Karlsson and Chez Reavie, while Watson's fellow reigning major winners Webb Simpson (US Open) and Keegan Bradley (US PGA) were seven under and four under respectively.

A secondary cut had to be applied after 88 players made the halfway cut, which came early after the weather stoppage left 77 players to complete their second round.

First-round leader David Mathis was a surprise figure heading home a day early. The American started the tournament on Thursday with birdies either side of a hole in one, and was six under after six holes, but followed his opening 64 with rounds of 73 and 74 to end his participation.

Harrington Claims Share of Fourth

Padraig Harrington looked at his second shot on the 18th fairway and figured he needed a birdie to have any shot of winning the U.S. Open. After taking aim at a tough pin the Dubliner found the bunker on the left side, ending his hopes of winning his fourth major.

"I was trying hard not to hit it right, and I succeeded very well, actually," Harrington said, laughing slightly at his gallows humour.

Thanks to a three-hole stretch before the turn in which he posted consecutive birdies, Harrington made a strong bid for his first U.S. open title. 

He shot a 2-under 68 that also included a chip-in at 13 for birdie. It was at that point that he started looking at leaderboards.

But he failed to birdie the par-5 16th and his bogey on the final hole left him at 3 over for the tournament.

In looking back at his week, Harrington was in an uphill climb the last three rounds after shooting a 4-over 74 on Thursday that included two four-putts and a three-putt. He knows where this tournament was lost for him.

"There’s four shots easily the first day," he said. "I had a bad day on the greens the first day, not a great day on day three.

"I look back, it wasn’t my ability to play golf this week that was costing me; it’s a couple of decisions here and there. So it’s nice to think you have the ability to win it. But maybe you just have to make the right decisions at the right time."

GMAC 75 as Rory and Padraig Card 68

Rory McIlroy produced a timely return to form ahead of his US Open title defence next week as he fired an opening two-under-par 68 at the St Jude Classic in Memphis.

McIlroy's round left him two behind clubhouse leader Jeff Maggert.

The Northern Irishman moved to three under after 10 but some long game struggles caused two back nine bogeys.

Padraig Harrington matched McIlroy's 68 but Graeme McDowell is nine behind after an opening 75.

World number two McIlroy went into the event after missing his last three cuts in a rare period of struggle for the 23-year-old.

McDowell, who like McIlroy started at the 10th, dropped to four over after eight with the 2010 US Open champion carding a double bogey at the 15th.

Further shots went at the fourth and seventh and McDowell's only birdie came at his closing hole.

Harrington produced a much steadier round of three birdies and a solitary bogey.

McIlroy hit only nine greens in regulation and missed more than half of his fairways but an excellent putting performance rescued him.

He twice saved par by holing out from more than eight feet and also slotted birdie putts of 16 and 10 feet.

Maggert's round left him a shot ahead of Arjun Atwal and Jeff Overton, who had also completed their rounds.

McIlroy and Harrington were joined on two under by Robert Allenby and Chad Campbell.

Irish Golf Trinity Paired for St Jude

Rory McIlroy will have no trouble recognising his playing partners in the opening two rounds of the FedEx St Jude Classic in Memphis this week - they are Graeme McDowell and Padraig Harrington.

The three Irishmen have all travelled to the event seeking a boost in confidence ahead of the US Open next week.

McIlroy, defending champion in San Francisco, has missed his last three halfway cuts, Harrington is down to 96th in the world after missing three of his last four cuts and McDowell also made an early exit from his last start at the BMW PGA Championship two weeks ago.

Round 1 tee times

Padraig Entered for Castle Stuart

Three-time Major Champion Padraig Harrington is hoping his love of links golf can help him to be crowned the king of Castle Stuart after confirming he will compete in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open from July 12-15.

The Irishman finished tied 14th at the Inverness venue last year with rounds of 69, 67 and 68, and he will be looking to build on a promising start to 2012, which included a share of eighth place at the Masters Tournament in April.

Renowned as a links expert following his Open Championship triumphs at Carnoustie in 2007 and Royal Birkdale the year after, Harrington is keen to display that kind of form again a week before he heads to Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club to try to win a third Claret Jug.

“I loved the week in Inverness and am really looking forward to getting back to Castle Stuart,” said the 40 year old. “There was a great atmosphere all week last year and I enjoyed the area, the town and the golf course.

“There is nothing quite like getting back to playing links golf the week before The Open Championship. It is ideal preparation for The Open, and I have always been in favour of taking the Scottish Open to a links venue for that reason. It is good to know that we have the opportunity to play links golf at Royal Portrush soon before Castle Stuart prior to tackling Royal Lytham and St. Anne’s.

“I shot three rounds in the 60s at Castle Stuart and finished in the top 15 last year and not even the freak weather on the Saturday managed to spoil my week. The Scottish Open is one of the leading events on the schedule, and I am certainly relishing the chance to try to add another prestigious title to my list of victories.”

Harrington will join a strong field for the second staging of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Castle Stuart, with Luke Donald, who returned to World Number One eight days ago following his brilliant victory in the BMW PGA Championship, already confirmed to defend the title he won last year. Scottish pair Paul Lawrie and Martin Laird will lead the home challenge.

GMAC Seeking Volvo Success

Graeme McDowell is having the kind of year they warn golfers about after winning a Major title. Or as in the case of GMAC a fourteen month period when everything went right, once he showed up at the right course, on the right day, in the right continent. But that streak ended in Sherwood Country Club in December 2010 when he beat Tiger Woods at The Chevron World Challenge and it  has been harder work ever since. 

At TPC Sawgrass McDowell confirmed some of those warning signs that suggest the revolving door that is golf might be close to allowing the Portrush golfer back on to the winning stage once again - despite missing the cut at The Players Championship with rounds of 74 and 71. However a level of consistency is returning that indicate he is not as off course as might be judging things solely by the number of missed cuts this season. As the 2010 US Open Champion arrives in Spain this week for the Volvo World Match Play he will be hoping that the Finca Cortesin course renders up better rewards for his efforts on his return to Europe - than the PGA Your has in recent months.

He will be joined in that hope by Open Champion Darren Clarke who has endured a somewhat pass remarkable few months since securing the Claret Jug, with a caddie change already made since Royal St George. In Augusta an injury prevented him competing worry-free and naturally missed the cut at The Masters given the distraction. But a few weeks later he repeated the same shortfall at the Ballantine' Championship in Korea with a first round 77 - after struggling with the elements the opening day – and now sits 75th in the 2012 Race to Dubai. 

A good few days at Finca Cortesin could do wonders for Dungannon man ahead of the  PGA BMW Championship at Wentworth and the Irish Open on his home course at Royal Portrush.

For Padraig Harrington this week the work is on the PGA Tour where he competes at the HP Byron Nelson at the Four Seasons Resort in Irving, Texas – as he is not eligible for the Volvo Match Play. Last weekend at The Player's Harrington showed some sparkle with a first round 69, only to slump out of the event by a few shots when he came in on Friday with a 74. Similarly at the ATT Pebble Beach Pro Am he bolted another low score only to fade on day two and three. But then out of the blue he bested those efforts with the lowest official score of his life - a 10-under 61 - to set the course record in the Transitions Championship in March. 

So clearly over the past weeks Harrington has looked closer to ending his year and half win less run, and just needs to sustain his focus over the four days. At Innisbrook it was not to be either, nor was it at Sawgrass, so he will be calling on his well practiced patience again this weekend in Texas. 

Rory Mcilroy takes the  week off after missing the cut at The Player's Championship on Friday  and clings to his world number 1 spot by virtue of Luke Donald's 6th place finish at Sawgrass. The Englishman needed fourth place or better to reclaim the honours this week. 

All in all there is a 24-man elite 2012 field offers a number of intriguing story lines as 15 of the World’s top 60 gather for the only match play event to be held in Europe this season. In addition three Spaniards have qualified for the Championship for the first time; Sergio García, Álvaro Quirós and Rafael Cabrera-Bello, each offering compelling reasons why they should be the first Spanish winner since the legendary Seve Ballesteros triumphed in 1991. 

Also six Major Champions will be seeking their first Match Play title in the form of Martin Kaymer, Charl Schwartzel, Graeme McDowell, Paul Lawrie, Retief Goosen and Calrke. 

Twelve nations are represented at the 2012 Volvo World Match Play Championship with England leading the charge with six players qualifying for this elite tournament including defending Champion, Ian Poulter and World Number nine, Justin Rose. Eleven players will be making their Volvo World Match Play Championship debut including American star Brandt Snedeker, ranked 23rd in the world, Australia’s John Senden and Sweden’s Peter Hanson who finished third at the recent Masters Tournament. 

Retief Goosen is the most experienced campaigner in the field with ten appearances to his name while Thomas Björn, a three-time winner on The European Tour last year, will be making his sixth appearance. Colombia’s Camilo Villegas and 2011 Volvo China Open Champion Nicolas Colsaerts will be amongst six players making only their second appearance. 

The Championship’s exciting format will see the players, divided into eight groups of three, play in a round-robin group format on Thursday and Friday. 

This will decide which 16 players progress to Saturday’s knock-out stage with the semi-finals and final played on Sunday.

Harrington Opens Players with 69

Pádraig Harrington was four shots off the clubhouse lead after his first round of the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass on Thursday. The Dubliner shot a three-under-par 69 to trail early leader Blake Adams by three, before England’s Ian Poulter signed for a 65 after five birdies on the back nine.

The Englishman was two under at the turn thanks to three birdies and a bogey, but three consecutive birdies from 10 and two more at 16 and 17 ensured he led the way this evening.

The 36-year-old from Adams, from Georgia, who has yet to win on the PGA Tour, fired five consecutive birdies prior to the turn before a bogey on the 10th and further birdies at 12 and 15.

South Korean-born American Kevin Na, who started on the backnine, was a stroke back at five-under after a 67, despite a double-bogey on the first hole, his 10th.

Former world number one Tiger Woods was two-over through 17 holes after mixing five bogeys with three birdies.

Harrington birdied three of the four par-fives and also picked up shots at the par-three third and 13th. There were bogeys at six and eight, however, meaning the three-time major winner had to settle for a 69.

Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy were due out in the evening.

The Players Championship Live Scoring

Master Harrington Travels Lighter

Padraig Harrington said in January that he expected to win more majors and after The Masters he is even more convinced - despite arriving in the shadow of fellow Irish major winners US Open Champion Rory McIlroy; Open Champion Darren Clarke and 2009 US Open winner, Graeme McDowell.   

It was not looking good for the first European to win back-to-back Open titles since 1906 when he slumped all the way to 96th in the world. But after an eighth place finish in The Masters - his best performance in a major since he won the USPGA four years ago - Harrington is up to 80th and hoping it is just the start of a big comeback.

Even double-bogeying the last did not change things in his mind, even as his chance of victory had gone by then. 

'I was very composed and relaxed,' said the 40-year-old Dubliner. 'Doubling the last cost me money, but nothing else. 

'Maybe one day coming down 18 I will have to hole that putt that I three-putted and I will know it is quick. 

"I was on an even keel all day - there were no highs or lows in my round at all. 

'I'd be happy if I was like that every Sunday at a major because you are going to win plenty playing golf like that. 

'I feel like I was in a very comfortable place. I haven't been putting well and I putted really well. 

'I am going to take a lot of comfort away from this - there were a lot of good things. I was very comfortable on the golf course this week, which bodes well for future Masters. 

'I feel like I found a very nice place mentally. There's good things in me going forward.

'I've won three majors, but that's the most comfortable I've felt through 18 holes in the last round of a major. 

'I feel I'm on an upswing, an upturn in my game. So yeah, I'm looking forward to going forward.'

For Harrington watchers the signs had been coming, as in February he came seventh at Pebble Beach and last month he began the Transitions Championship in Florida with a 61 - the lowest round of his career. 

This week Padraig is staying on in the United States for the PFA Tour event at Hilton Head in South Carolina. The world No 1 Luke Donald is the only member of the world's top 10 in the field and it is a golden opportunity to make further progress. 

And not just up the world rankings, but up the Ryder Cup points table too. 

Harrington is only 30th on the European Tour list and 26th on the world points list. The top five in each qualify automatically for Jose Maria Olazabal's side at the end of August and he then adds two wild cards. 

The Irishman received one of those from Colin Montgomerie two years ago, but knows that competition is going to be even tougher this time. 

As things stand, Ian Poulter - seventh at Augusta - Paul Casey, Simon Dyson, Martin Laird, Thomas Bjorn and Miguel Angel Jimenez are also among those outside the top 10. 

Harrington Happy with Sunday

On Sunday Padraig Harrington briefly threatened before his challenge ended with a double-bogey six on the last as he finished in a tie for eighth on four under par.

"It's never nice to finish the way I finished," conceded the three-time major winner.

"I can't believe how quick the green was for what should have been a flat putt but I'm pleased with the way I played.

"You'll struggle to see anyone have the number of short birdie putts I had, I just didn't hit them. I definitely felt like I had a chance all the way to the 18th."

“I hit it very close every day,” he said. 

“I haven't seen any of the golf, but I'd be surprised if people had as many short putts as I had for birdie today. I putted well, I just didn't hole them - I wasn't reading them right. 

“It was a good day all the way - I played well, hit it well. 

“I take a lot of positives out of the way I played today. I've won three Majors, but that's the most comfortable I've felt through 18 holes in the last round of a Major, and I was in a nice place mentally all day. I putted well all week, chipped well. I did a lot of good things this week.”

No Par 3 Jinx For Harrington

Padraig Harrington played his way right back into contention during the third round of the Masters at Augusta.

The 40-year-old Irishman produced a storming finish thanks to a red-hot putter as he birdied five of the last six holes, to charge from one over for the tournament to four under.

The three-time major winner had earlier produced a mixed bag with three bogeys and two birdies over the opening 12 holes.

"I did need it today to get into contention," said Harrington after signing for a four-under 68.

"It's the kind of back nine you dream of having on a Sunday at the Masters, but if I didn't do that today it wouldn't matter what I did tomorrow on the back nine.

"I did know I had to do something. Going out level par you just knew you had to do some of the work today.

"Four under is a nice score as long as the leaders don't get away. If the leader is only six under then you are right there.

"I'll play the same way tomorrow as today. I've been taking a good attitude to my short game and today I tried to take that into my long game and hopefully it will all be there tomorrow."

Harrington Happy with 71

Padraig Harrington was a happy man after breaking par on the opening day of the Masters for only the third time in 13 starts at Augusta.

The triple major winner has missed the cut on his last two appearances here but an eagle at the par-five second helped him post a one-under 71.

But most pleasing for the Irishman was that he appears to have finally cured his recent troubles with the putter.

"I'm pleased. There are very few players burning it up," he said. "Conditions are very good out there for scoring in terms of there's no wind, greens are soft. But I think they were aware of that and put in some tough pins today.

"It looks like I turned a little bit of a corner with the putting. I made a few changes this week, and I was very happy with what I saw out there today.

"I've been playing very nicely besides that and although I didn't play as well today, hopefully over the next few days I'll put the two together."

Last month Padraig set the lowest official score of his life - a 10-under 61 - to set the course record on the opening day of the Transitions Championship.

Harrington's previous best was a 62 three times, most recently at the 2009 Portugal Masters. He also had a 61 at the Nedbank Challenge in 2001, an unofficial event and it was not recognized as a course record because of preferred lies.

Padraig Wins at The Masters

Padraig Harrington became the first player to win the par-three tournament at Augusta on the eve of the Masters.

However, just like when he first won in 2003 when he shared the title with David Toms, Harrington was joint winner - this time with Jonathan Byrd - after the pair returned five-under-par 22 over nine holes.

Moreover, the competition remained incomplete as the threat of lightning forced play to be abandoned at around 3.30pm local time with many players still on the course.

What it means again, though, is that Harrington will have to beat a jinx to become Masters champion on Sunday.

Since the par three event started in 1960, nobody has lifted that crown and then won the event proper as well four days later.

Harrington went round with his sons Patrick (eight) and Ciaran (four), as well as Japan's Ryo Ishikawa and American amateur Patrick Cantlay.

"This is my 13th time playing it and the least amount of wind, so the scoring was on," he said. "The whole thing is memorable. I didn't hit anything stone dead or anything like that."

Lee Westwood and Thomas Bjorn had television presenters Ant and Dec - Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly - carrying their bags, with Bjorn finishing with a hole-in-one.

American Mark Wilson also had an ace, at the 130-yard fourth.

Pebble Win for Padraig and JP

Padraig Harrington shot a 70 and finished the tournament tied in sixth spot, six shots behind the winner. 

Harrington’s weekend was further improved by clinching victory in the Pro-Am portion of the tournament, along with playing partner JP McManus.

Speaking to the media afterwards Harrington said: "We have been playing together, this is probably close to 20 of these at this stage, we have played Dunhills in Europe and the AT&T now for a seventh year, and this is the best I've seen him play."

"He really hit the golf ball great and hit some putts, he put it at times that pros would liked to have put it. He holed some great pressure putts and the last two days we were leading and it's always tough when you are leading, you're a little bit more cautious and you're a little bit safer."

"Even though we had a big lead, you knew it was going to come right down to a stretch, his birdie on 16 was exactly what we needed at the time."

"We got one on 17 and obviously 18 was a little bit of a struggle after a while, but it worked out."

"There's a great atmosphere now around us. It's fantastic for the TOUR players that we get to mix with the big stars. We come out, and guess who I just had breakfast with. It is a buzz for us to be here. And it's nice, every week we play 72 hole stroke-play events, so it's nice to do something different."

"Again, I have a set amateur partner that comes with me every time, so I'm going to enjoy the week regardless of how I play or regardless how we do as a team. It's been a bonus, we have won the Dunhill twice, so nice to put this one on, as well."

Playing partner JP McManus added his thoughts in the winners enclosure: "I knew I needed birdie because I screwed up big time. I was in good shape for my drive. And, listen, I never doubted Padraig, that he would get it up-and-down."

Harrington Slips After Round 3

Padraig Harrington appeared to have placed himself strongly in contention for the title after he too enjoyed a profitable day through 15 holes at Pebble Beach. However, Harrington undid all his good work with a bogey and double bogey in two of his final three holes to fall back to eight-under.

Tiger Woods began his charge towards the top of the leaderboard during the third round of the AT&T National Pro-Am, firing his best score of the tournament to move within four strokes of leaderCharlie Wi.

Woods showed how dangerous he can be when the putter is working by registering a five-under-par 67, lifting him to an overall score of 11-under. The round takes him two shots closer to the leader as he heads into Sunday.

The world No. 1 actually produced his worst performance of the event off the tee, hitting less fairways than in either of the first two days. But a tally of 27 swings of the short stick testified to his improved work around the greens, resulting in a run of five birdies in six holes between 13 and 18.

Wi remains the pace-setter after consecutive 69s lifted him to 15-under. Operating on the Spyglass Hill course, Wi stayed flawless for a round of three birdies thanks to some accurate approach work.

Separating Wi and Woods is Ken Duke, who equalled his compatriot's effort with a five-under round to move to 12-under. Duke tackled the Monterey Peninsula on Saturday and, like Wi, avoiding making bogey in an excellent round of golf.

Phil Mickelson may have left himself too much to do after he finished on nine-under. The big-hitting American did not find consistency in any area of the game throughout his round, but he cobbled together a formula that yielded a two-under 70 to place him in the top five. Mickelson is joined by compatriots Kevin Naand Brendon Todd, as well as defending champion Dustin Johnson.

England's highest-placed player was Greg Owen, who trailed Harrington by one stroke after the final hole. Meanwhile Ian Poulter looked set to avoid the cut on one-under.


#irishgolfnews

Padraig Battles Beach Weather

Padraig Harrington moved into a share of third place at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in California, as Charlie Wi opened up a three-shot lead at the top of the leaderboard.

Avoiding the worst of the afternoon weather at Pebble Beach, South Korean Wi holed a wedge for eagle on the 13th en route to a 69 that lifted him to 12 under.

Dustin Johnson, a two-time winner of this event, went round Spyglass Hill in 72 to lie second, while Harrington recorded five birdies in his first seven holes before eventually signing for a 66 at Pebble.

He was one of five players on eight under, along with New Zealander Danny Lee, who followed his opening 63 with a one over 73 at Spyglass.

Former World Number One Tiger Woods was a further two shots back, having managed just a 68 at Monterey Peninsula, the easiest of the three courses.

Woods told the PGA Tour website: “Drove it good again today, unfortunately just didn’t make enough birdies.”

Lying in a tie for 16th, Woods added about the deteriorating weather: “The golf course got a little interesting coming in.

“I was hitting the ball in the wrong spots. And the greens started to get a little bumpy with the softer conditions.”

Commmenting on his round at Pebble, Wi added: “The greens were very firm, and the guys that shot eight or nine under out there, I was very surprised how well they played. Some of the pins were really tricky.

“I said, `Gosh, how did they shoot nine under out there?' And for me to shoot three under today, I was very pleased.”

England’s Greg Owen added a 67 to his opening 68 to sit in a nine-way tie for eighth at seven under.

Harrington Helped by Mickelson

Padraig Harrington will need to climb to 65th in the world rather than 64th to earn a place in next month's Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona.

Phil Mickelson has said he will miss the event - the first World Golf Championship of the season - to take a family holiday, freeing up an extra space on the entry list.

Harrington's 10th-placed finish at the Volvo Golf Champions in South Africa has lifted him only one spot from 89th to 88th in the new rankings.

The Dubliner is part of the star-studded field this week at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the tournament where he started with a 65 last year but then was disqualified over a ball-moving incident picked up by an eagle-eyed television viewer.

The sport's ruling bodies saw the unfairness of the disqualification and if the same was to happen this week it would be only a two-stroke penalty.

Grace Sets Volvo Champions Pace

The lead is still four after two rounds of the Volvo Golf Champions at Fancourt in South Africa - but now it is local man Branden Grace rather than Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts out in front.

Grace, last man into The European Tour's winners-only event thanks to his victory at the Joburg Open last Sunday, shot 66 to reach 12 under par.

Colsaerts, on the other hand, had a 76 - 12 more than his course record first round - to drop to joint fifth place.

While that was the joint worst score of the day the best was a 65 from England's Lee Slattery. 

And it not only lifted the 33 year old from 22nd to joint second with Thomas Aiken, another of the home contingent, but also earned him a new car.

Playing partner Retief Goosen (68) received the same prize as they combined with English amateur Mark Vandenberghe to win the one round team event.

José María Olazábal almost joined them in winning a car, lipping out for a hole-in-one at the short 17th, but Europe's Ryder Cup Captain - at 596th in the Official World Golf Ranking the lowest-ranked player in the 35-strong field - was happy enough with a 68 to be in fourth spot on his own.

For the second day running, though, Padraig Harrington finished with a double bogey seven and, having also dropped shots on the previous two holes, the Irishman's 73 left him with eight shots to make up like Open Champion Darren Clarke (68) and Masters Tournament winner Charl Schwartzel (67).

Only last month 23 year old Grace was at The European Tour Qualifying School in Spain, but he came through that six-day ordeal in joint tenth place and has been flying ever since.

"I'm just really enjoying it out there," he said after grabbing eight birdies. 

"It's probably my favourite course in the world and coming back here is a fabulous feeling - especially playing well."

Slattery feared he would be at Qualifying School as well - in his case for the ninth time - until he won the Bankia Madrid Masters in October.

"Winning certainly gives you belief," said the 33 year old Englishman after picking up an amazing ten birdies just as Colsaerts had done in the opening round.

"That's probably my best round out there, one I'm going to remember for the rest of my life.

"Because of the team prize I was willing Retief's putts in as well. God knows what the amateur felt like, but he handled it well.

"I've had about 12 holes-in-one, but have never won a car before."

Olazábal was pleased to show signs of the form that brought him two Green Jackets before a series of injury problems, as the Spaniard targets his first victory for seven years on Sunday.

“I think the last couple of years I've played pretty poorly, so improving that, it was not all that difficult,” said the 45 year old.

Aiken has an added reason for wanting to come out on top - he is on a campaign to help save the rhino and the more publicity (and money) he can get the better.

"I've started my own charity," he said. "It's disgusting what's happening. We've got a war going on.

"Rhino horns are being valued at a million dollars. We've got tractors on the grounds, roadblocks and help from the Air Force because they are shooting them from helicopters now.

"We've got about six years left until they are extinct and if we hang around too long we are going to be too late."

Pádraig Harrington again faltered in sight of the clubhouse at the Volvo Golf Champions in South Africa as back-to-back bogeys on the 16th and 17th and another double-bogey on the last saw him drop back down the leaderboard at Fancourt.

A double-bogey on the 18th had undone his opening round after he had carded six birdies, but after dropping a shot on the sixth this morning, he put together five birdies in eight holes from the eighth to move to eight under and a share of third place.

His round unravelled after that, with bogeys on the par-five 16th and the short 17th before closing for the second day with a seven on the final hole as he took three putts to navigate the treacherous green. That all added up to a level-par 73 and he remains on four under for the tournament.

British Open champion Darren Clarke carded seven birdies and two bogeys in a five-under-par 68 that moved him to four under for the tournament.

Michael Hoey improved on his opening 78 when carding a one-under 72 to lie on four over for the tournament.