Martin storms into four-shot halfway lead

GOLF DIGEST: SPANIARD PABLO Martin charged into a four-stroke halfway lead at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa yesterday.

Martin, whose game nosedived after he became the circuit’s first amateur winner two years ago, followed eight birdies with a closing eagle for a dazzling 63.

The 23-year-old is on 13-under-par 131, but title favourite Ernie Els and in-form Italian Edoardo Molinari look set to test him over the weekend.

They are joint-second after Els also had eight birdies in a 67 and Molinari kept alive his hopes for a remarkable fifth win in his last seven events with a 69.

Martin has only one top-10 finish as a professional, but his 63 matched the lowest round of his career after he played the last eight holes in six under.

Els needs to repeat his 2005 victory at Leopard Creek to extend a remarkable record of at least one win every year since 1990.

He would have been only one behind but for three bogeys and said: “They were very soft bogeys, two three-putts and a pretty basic up and down that I didn’t do. But I feel like I’m playing well enough to shoot some good numbers.”

Damien McGrane followed up his opening 67 with a 70 to lead the Irish challenge on 137. Gareth Maybin also shot 70 for 138, the same mark as Shane Lowry, who added a second round 71.

Michael Hoey made the cut after a 69 for 142 but Gary Murphy missed out after a disappointing 77 for 149.

LET TOUR: In Kyung Kim increased her advantage over the rest of the field at the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters to lead by three shots heading into the final round. The 21-year-old South Korean added a 67 to previous rounds of 70 and 65 to move to 14-under-par 202 at the Majlis course at Emirates Golf Club.

Kim saw off the challenge of Michelle Wie during the course of the third round. That paved the way for Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist to motor into second place on the back of a third-round 65, which took her to 11-under-par 205 for the tournament.

Fellow Swede Maria Hjorth shot a 67 to move into third, a stroke behind her compatriot, while Wie’s difficult day saw her tied for fourth after a lacklustre 71, alongside Gwladys Nocera, Amy Yang and Tania Elosegui.

Rebecca Coakley added a 70 for a three-under-par total of 213 while Martina Gillen is well off the pace after a 77 for 224.

AUSTRALIAN TOUR: Matt Griffin capitalised on Min-Kyu Han's return to the field by grabbing the outright lead at the halfway mark of the Australian PGA Championship at Coolum.

The 26-year-old boldly declared after adding a three-under 68 to his opening 67 that he’s ready to claim victory but he’ll also be very aware that defending champion Geoff Ogilvy (66) and Stuart Appleby (69) are lurking just a shot back at minus-six with Jason Norris (67).

SENIORS TOUR: Glenn Ralph made the perfect return to Mauritius, where he sustained a career-threatening injury, to take a one-stroke first round lead in the inaugural Mauritius Commercial Bank Open with a fine five-under-par 67.

Ralph broke his ankle while on holiday on the sunshine Indian Ocean island three years ago, an injury which kept him out of the game for 14 months until the start of the 2009 campaign.

Ralph is one stroke clear of compatriot Peter Mitchell and American Doug Johnson, with debutant David Frost two shots further back after a 70. “I chipped in twice – on the 12th and 17th holes – which is the first time I’ve done that in my life. I’ve been on holiday quite a few times here so I know the course but I’ve also been playing well for some time now so long may it continue.” said Ralph.

Ireland’s Jimmy Heggarty shot 75, Denis O’Sullivan 77 and Eamonn Darcy 78.