Bjorn breaks he field

PHILIP WALTON showed the form that won him a Ryder Cup debut last year with a superb, wind cheating 69 in the second round of the Volvo Scandinavian Masters in Gothenburg yesterday.

Although it left the Malahide professional 11 shots behind surprise halfway leader Thomas Bjorn of Denmark, he was delighted at rediscovering his game on the verge of heading for the US PGA Championship in Kentucky next week.

"I am looking forward to going to the USA, now," said Walton, after posting a two over par 146, although the honour of heading the Irish challenge for a title worth more than £116,000 went to Milltown's Francis Howley.

His 73 for 143 put him on the fringe of the top 10, alongside Sweden's Ryder Cup player Per Ulrik Johansson, after Padraig Harrington was among many who struggled to retain control in the buffeting wind and took 77.

Bjorn, last year's Challenge Tour champion, added a 68 to his record equalling 67, and with a nine under par 135 has a three shot advantage over Spaniard Santiago Luna, with Russell Claydon in third place.

Title favourites Colin Montgomerie and Ian Woosnam took 76 and 79 respectively, but John Daly had a second 71 to keep alive his hopes of a first victory on the Continent.

Walton's morning 69 was bettered only by Frenchman Jean Van de Velde and Dutchman Rolf Muntz - until Bjorn's six birdie afternoon assault. Walton revelled in the challenge of the rising wind. He could easily have been four or five under par at the turn, although his only success was at the long fifth, where he hit two drivers into a greenside bunker and came out only a yard from the hole.

He also birdied both inward par fives, although he needed six iron third shots at the 13th and 17th, holing from five and 15 feet. In between, Walton opened his shoulders at the downwind 334 yard 15th to drive the green, and took two putts from 10 feet.

Four under for the round on the last tee, he then dropped his only stroke by hitting his second with a four wood into the grand stand. His pitch from the dropping zone ran some six feet past the hole and he failed to convert the par putt.

"I should have hit a driver for my second, but it was a good round in that wind," said Walton who profited from a tip about wedge play from Scot Stephen McAllister. "He told me I was putting too much weight on my right side, and that I should do the opposite, just like Seve," he said.

Ronan Rafferty's 74 for 147 got him through and, much to his amazement, David Feherty will also be playing this weekend. The Ulsterman was seven over par on the 15th tee, three shots outside the qualifying mark. But he then birdied the next two holes, and the last, as well - in most unlikely fashion.

On the final hole Feherty dragged his second shot into the grandstand, and had to put his ball back into play without penalty in the nearest dropping zone. From there he holed a 40 yard chip for a 73 and survival.

"Just when I needed it least," said Feherty ruefully after an afternoon during which his decision to revert to an orthodox putter made no difference to the quality of his work on the greens. Feherty is undergoing what looks like a virulent attack of the "yips", and had three triple putts, as well as an ugly miss from three feet at the 10th.

David Higgins (76-149), Des Smyth (78-151) and Raymond Burns (78-153) all missed the cut. Bjorn, who won four times on the Challenge Tour last year, has a best finish of seventh in his rookie season to date, but last week he secured his card for 1997 by finishing 25th in the Dutch Open to take his prize money past £50,000.