Martin returns to pole position

GOLF TOUR NEWS: EARLY RACE to Dubai leader Pablo Martin moved to the top of the South African Open leaderboard with a four-under-par 68 in yesterday's second round at Pearl Valley Golf Estates, where four out of the five Irishmen in the field made it into the weekend.

Martin’s round moved him to 11 under par for a two-stroke lead over Denmark’s Anders Hansen (69) at the halfway point.

“Four-under-par is always a good round,” said Martin. “It could have been lower but it could also have been a few higher, so I’m pleased with the score.

“I think you need to take advantage of the par fives on this golf course. It was playing easy this morning this course, I think, it wasn’t playing so difficult.

“The greens were a little soft and not as fast as yesterday, and not that much wind. I thought somebody would shoot very low.”

The Spaniard won last week’s opening event of the European Tour’s 2010 schedule by claiming the Alfred Dunhill Championship, while world number 46 Hansen is the top-ranked player in the field.

Martin set off from the 10th and he went on to make seven birdies while playing partner Hansen, the 2009 Joburg Open winner, had three birdies on each nine plus a bogey and double bogey.

Michael Hoey was best-placed of the Irish after his second successive 70 left the Belfast pro tied for 14th on four under.

He too started at the 10th and enjoyed back-to-back birdies at the 18th and first during the middle of his round.

Damien McGrane was a shot further back after a level par round of 72 that contained two birdies and as many bogeys, while Gareth Maybin made up for a poor opening 75 with a 68 to get back to one-under.

The Ballyclare native, who lost in a play-off to Richard Sterne this time 12 months ago, was the model of consistency in the South Africa sun as his card contained four birdies and no dropped shots.

Gary Murphy was also in recovery mode as a 69 was good enough to make up for his opening 75, and at level par, was one shot inside the cut.

Shane Lowry was the only Irish casualty, for despite shooting a flawless 68, the Irish Open champion missed the cut by one shot. A triple-bogey seven on the ninth hole of his opening round eventually proved too costly

Sweden’s Pernilla Lindberg fired a bogey-free seven under par 66 to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of Final Stage Qualifying School for the Ladies European Tour at La Manga Club in Murcia, Spain, yesterday.

The 23-year-old from Bollnas led the field of 84 players targeting a place on the 2010 tour after carding seven birdies in mild conditions on the South Course.

Lindberg was one of a group of 48 players who graduated from the LET’s Pre-Qualifying School, played earlier this week.

Alison Walshe, originally from Galway but who has also represented the US, is one of five players sharing second place on five under par after six birdies and a lone bogey in her 68.

Carlow’s Tara Delaney mixed three birdies with three bogeys in her 73 that left her sharing 34th place.

This year’s Final Qualifying School will be contested to Monday, over four rounds, with a cut to the leading 50 players and ties after three rounds.

The top 30 players will receive a full card for the 2010 season in category 8, while those in positions 31-50 may take category 10a, with some playing opportunities on the LET in 2010.