Smyth in the Mix in The Hague

Defending champion Smyth carded a one over par 73 at the Van Lanschot Senior Open with a double bogey on his card after his ball ran off the 17th green and plugged in a bunker.

After carding a final round 65 last year to surge to a two stroke victory, the Irishman believes he is in a good position for a successful defence.

“The conditions were very difficult out there,” said Smyth. “It’s a great traditional old course, a bit like Birkdale, with these bushes dotted about and if you hit it off line you are in one. I think there are going to be lots of stories of ‘I almost did that’ from today in these conditions.

“I played well though. I could tell you all the sad stories but on the other hand I made some great saves which you have to do in these conditions. Overall I’m happy – I’d like to be a few shots better but last year I came from four shots back and ended up winning so I will feel as though I have a chance.

“I hope the wind eases a bit though because it was a real battle to save par, a little bit like the US Open last week. I tend to play quite well in the wind because I played a lot of links golf as a kid and I can switch into that mode.”

Leader Gordon Brand Jnr dropped five shots in the final four holes of his second round, but clung on to a one stroke lead after another demanding day in The Netherlands.

With strong winds once again making conditions extremely difficult at Royal Haagsche Golf & Country Club in The Hague, Brand Jnr carded a three over par 75 and will take a slender advantage into the final round, with eight players poised to strike just a single stroke back, including defending champion Des Smyth.

Former Ryder Cup player Brand Jnr, who was the only player to break par in similar conditions during the opening round, started his second round on the tenth hole with a two stroke overnight advantage and picked up an immediate birdie.

The Scot then bogeyed the 14th, but back-to-back birdies on the 17th and 18th hole gave him a four stroke lead over the field at the turn.

However, after picking up another birdie on the second hole, the 53 year old struggled on the way in, dropping shots on the fourth, sixth and eighth and ninth holes, as well as a double bogey six on the seventh when his drive lodged in a mound.

He finished on two over par 146 for the tournament, but with his nearest challengers also faltering in the afternoon groups, he remains on course or his first victory since capturing his maiden European Senior Tour title in the 2010 Matrix Jersey Classic.

“It was pretty similar to yesterday in that the wind wasn’t as strong early on but then got up and it caught me out a bit today to be honest,” he said. “I messed up on the seventh hole. It wasn’t a bad tee shot but it ended in the mound and I couldn’t move it. Then I messed up the finishing hole too with a stupid three putt.

“It was a bit frustrating really as I played really nicely again and holed some nice putts. I was flying along and then the wind just caught me out a bit. That’s going to happen though – you don’t hit that bad a shot and it is tough to up and down it.

“That double bogey on the seventh really stopped any momentum. The margins are so slim round here that you can get caught out and I did. I’m sure there are many stories like that today though.”

The eight-time European Tour winner has a strong record in The Hague, having fourth last year and tied fifth in the inaugural event in 2010, and he is confident of mounting another strong challenge on Sunday, with tee times delayed until 10am due to a forecast of heavy rain.

“It’s another day tomorrow and, while I’m disappointed I wasn’t a few shots better today, I like the course and hopefully I can do well,” he said.

Des Smyth’s playing partner Spaniard Juan Quiros, who defeated him in a play-off last year to win the Cannes Mougins Masters, is also three over par after jumping 30 places up the leaderboard with an impressive round of 70.

Also in a share of second place is Andrew Oldcorn, who was runner up to George Ryall in 2010. The in-form Scot, who was also joint second behind Paul Wesselingh in the ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship a fortnight ago, signed for a 74.

English pair John Gould (74) and John Harrison (73), Australian Mike Harwood (73), Zimbabwean Tony Johnstone (72) and Japan’s Massy Kuramoto are the other players tied for second on three over par 147. 

Denis O'Sullivan signed for second round 78 to finish Saturday on +9

Philip Waltron carded  80 and is +12 ahead of the final round on Sunday.

McGinley Drops from Sjoholm Slipstream

A total of six bogeys saw Paul McGinley drop out of contention on Saturday at the BMW International Open in Cologne, carding the only birdie of the day on the first hole - to sign for a third round 77.

Joel Sjöholm was happy with a level par 72 that kept him firmly in the hunt for a maiden European Tour title at the BMW International Open.

The 27 year old from Sweden began the day two shots clear in Cologne, but four bogeys on the way out contributed to a front nine 38.

In danger of fading into the pack at that point, Sjöholm birdied the 13th and 15th before producing a wonderful flop shot from rough by the 18th to rescue par and finish the day 11 under par, one behind England’s Danny Willett.

“I really did not expect to feel a little bit of tension, because I've been leading tournaments before as an amateur but never as a pro, so I thought it would be the same, and it isn't really the same,” said Sjöholm.

“I held my nerves pretty well through the first five, six holes and then I got a little bit angry with my ball on the sixth, but that's me in general. It doesn't matter if I'm leading a tournament or not, it's just who I am. Today it feels good to actually walk off the course with an even par score when I was plus two. 

“I was in danger of a terrible finish, and instead I actually made two good pars out of nowhere. 

“So it feels good, and I'm real excited for tomorrow. It's going to be a really, really great day because I really love this place.”

Sjöholm is alongside England’s Chris Wood in second place, and the 24 year old is pleased to have the opportunity chase a leader in the final round after failing to convert a four shot third round lead in Mallorca last year – one of three runner-up finishes in Wood’s European Tour career.

“It's so easy to get ahead of yourself,” said Wood. “It's a bit of a test, but on a day like today, it probably helped because it was a day where you just had to be patient and it was tough conditions, and not so many birdies out there as there were on day one, so I was pleased.

“A shot behind is as good as I need to be really tomorrow. I'm not sleeping on the lead, and I feel really good.”

Damien McGrane signed for third round 73 for a -1 total in share of 46th place.

Simon Thornton was on +1 after a third round 74.,

Dunbar Wins British Amateur at Troon

Alan Dunbar becomes the latest golfer from Northern Ireland to light up the golf world after winning the British Amateur Championship at Royal Troon. The 23-year-old defeated Austrian teenager Matthias Schwab by one hole to become the third Northern Irish winner after Michael Hoey in 2001 and Garth McGimpsey in 1985.

The Rathmore player takes the British Amateur Championship trophy back to Northern Ireland hard on the heels of Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy winning the 2010 and 2011 US Opens, and Darren Clarke’s victory in last year’s British Open Championship at Royal St George’s. 

Dunbar’s experience, and his putting stroke, paid off against the 17-year-old Austrian in the first final to go all 36 holes since Spain’s Alejandro Larrazabal defeated Martin Sell at Royal Porthcawl in 2002. 

Dunbar and Schwab exchanged the lead five times in the 36-hole final, in one of the most closely fought matches in the championship, with Dunbar holing key putts at crucial times to seal victory. 

“My putting was great all week,” Dunbar said. “I struggled with the long game as the week went on and I had to rely on my putting.” 

A large gallery braved wind and rain to watch the final, with about 40 members of Rathmore Golf Club who had made the ferry ride from Larne to Troon to cheer their man on. They were treated to great golf in trying conditions from the two finalists. 

Schwab entered the afternoon round with a one-hole advantage after just edging the first 18 holes. However, Dunbar went two up after five holes of the afternoon session when he played the first four holes in one under-par and Schwab in two over. 

“I thought I had it, but then I struggled,” admitted Dunbar. 

The match went back to all square after eight holes when Schwab birdied the par-four seventh hole and Dunbar missed the eighth green, the Postage Stamp. 

Dunbar hooked his ball into long rough left of the green and could only hack his ball out. He conceded the hole to go back to all square. 

Schwab went one up at 12 when Dunbar hit another hook, this time off the tee. He found a bush left of the fairway, took an unplayable and conceded the hole. 

The match went all square at 15 when Schwab failed to get up and down from left of the green. However, the contest’s see-saw nature returned at the par-five 16th when Dunbar found two fairway bunkers en route to a bogey six. 

Dunbar’s experience of winning the 2009 St Andrews Links Trophy and winning two points out of three in last year’s victorious GB&I Walker Cup team paid off over the last two holes. 

Dunbar made pars at 17 and 18 while Schwab failed to get up and down to save par on both holes. The match ended when the young Austrian missed his four-foot par putt on the final green. 

A meeting from his coach shortly before travelling to Troon might have made the difference for Dunbar. 

“I had a lesson with my coach Seamus Duffy last week at Castlerock, and he said if you win the Amateur you’re taking me to the Masters. So I suppose that was a bit of motivation.” 

Dunbar gains a place in next month’s British Open, a place in next year's US Open and traditionally, an invitation to the Masters Tournament at Augusta National. His next appointment is an invitation to next week’s Irish Open at Royal Portrush.

No Hydro for Higgins, Murphy and Moriarty

David Higgins, Colm Moriarty and Gary Murphy all missed the cut at the Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotel and Resorts on Friday in Aviemore, ending the Irish interest at the Challenge Tour event.

Sam Walker is in line to claim his second Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts title as he raced into a four shot overnight lead thanks to a four under par round of 67 on a rain-delayed second day in Aviemore.

Heavy overnight rain meant that the beginning of the second round was delayed by two and a half hours but rain soon turned to sunshine and Walker made hay despite a stunning performance from Chris Lloyd, who moved 106 places up the leaderboard thanks to 10 birdies in his final 13 holes.

That contributed to a nine under par round of 62 which left him amongst a five-man chasing pack, four shots back on seven under.

Walker, who won this very title in its inaugural year, 2006, before going on to earn a card for The European Tour the following season, looked to be running away with it midway through his round as he went five under par for the day through eight holes and five shots clear, having teed off at the 11th.

The 34 year old got off to the perfect start as he birdied the difficult par four 11th and he built on that when he almost knocked a four iron second shot into the cup for an albatross at the par five 13th hole, before tapping in for birdie. Back to back birdies on the 17th and 18th followed before he negotiated the back nine in one over par to move to 11 under par for the tournament.

“I just played very steady,” said Walker. “It could have been lower. I knocked it to two foot down the ninth and missed it. I thought I hit a good putt but it just lipped out. I'm putting extremely well, which you need to do around here, I think.

“I'm hitting it close, driving it well and putting everything in the right places. It couldn’t have been any worse than four under today. I'm just chilled, very relaxed. You’ve got to take everything on board. It’s four rounds of golf, anything can happen tomorrow, you just have to stay patient.”

As the day drew to a close, it looked like nobody would get near Walker’s lead, not least young English compatriot Chris Lloyd as he lingered 14 shots off the pace through four holes after a double bogey at the 14th hole had him three over par for the tournament.

If he had remained on that score, the 20 year old would have missed the cut by five shots but he performed a truly incredible run which began on the 16th and 17th holes with back to back birdies, having teed off on the 11th.

That started a run of 10 birdies in 13 holes with three pars coming at the 18th, fourth and 10th, his final hole.

“I was one over through five for my round after the double at the 14th and I was three over for the tournament and I was giving myself a hard time,” said the Bristol native.

“But I just hit it stone dead at the 16th and got up and down for birdie at the 17th and from there on it was just stone dead, stone dead.

“It was eight birdies in nine holes from the first to the ninth. It was pretty cool, I have to say. I've been out injured recently and after yesterday it was up and down but as soon as I got it going it was like my old self. It was quite fun.”

Lloyd joined four others in the chasing pack on seven under par, including two fellow Englishmen Jamie Abbott and Simon Wakefield as well as Chile’s Mark Tullo and Garry Houston of Wales.

McGinley in the Driving Seat

Former Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley continued his excellent form with a second round 70 to sit two shots off the halfway lead at the BMW International Open.

The 45 year old Irishman joined English pair Chris Wood and Danny Willett and Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti on nine under par, two adrift of Swede Joel Sjöholm.

Sjoholm is the halfway leader at the BMW International Open in Cologne. Sjoholm, dressed in his now customary plus-fours, eagled both the 577-yard 16th and 546-yard third for a superb 66 in the windy conditions at Gut Larchenhof.

A closing birdie took the 26-year-old, 306th in the world and chasing his first European Tour win, to 11 under par. He enters the third round two ahead of Ireland’s Paul McGinley, English pair Chris Wood and Danny Willett and Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti.

Local favourite Martin Kaymer, at 13th the highest-ranked player in the field, missed the cut, but 54-year-old compatriot Bernhard Langer shot 67 and at five under is not out of the hunt yet.

Swede Sjoholm, with a best finish on the circuit of third in Sicily last year, followed his first eagle with back-to-back bogeys.

But it was a different tale after the second one. He added birdies on the fifth and ninth to go clear in the race for a first prize of just under €270,000.

McGinley, now a front-runner to captain Europe in the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, has not won for seven years but his career appears to be on the rise again. He finished seventh in Korea in April, but on his last start in Wales three weeks ago produced a closing 65 for sixth place.

The Dubliner began his 518th Tour event with another 65 and then added a 70 like Wood and Willett. “It was much tougher – a real good test of golf,” said McGinley. “You had to work the ball and it’s very important to keep it on the fairways.”

He had an eagle on his card for the second day running, making a 20-foot putt at the third before finding the target as well with a 20-foot birdie attempt three holes later. Former amateur internationals Wood and Willett have yet to register their first victories.

Wood is best known for finishing fifth in the 2008 Open as an amateur and then coming third a year later at Turnberry, while Willett was a team-mate of Rory McIlroy in the 2007 Walker Cup – against an American side that included new US Open champion Webb Simpson, Rickie Fowler and Dustin Johnson.

Zanotti had shared the first-round lead with Marcus Fraser, but managed only a 71 while the Australian fell five behind with a 74.

Simon Thornton was one under par at the halfway stage, and joins Damien McGrane, one stroke better, for the weekend.

Michael Hoey, Gareth Maybin and Shane Lowry missed the cut.