Moran holds the lead as he reaps reward from fine putting displays

ONE of the country's premier links courses provided a particularly fine challenge to competitors when the halfway stage was reached in the AIB sponsored East of Ireland Championship at Baltray yesterday. "I have never seen it better presented," said twice former champion Garth McGimpsey, the most experienced player in the field.

It is revealing that Tommy Moran, the leader on 143 - three under par - reaped a rich dividend from the superb greens on which he required only 56 putts for 36 holes, 28 per round. "I played steadily from tee to green but the quality of my putting was a real bonus," said the 48 year old member of Hermitage.

Moran's chance of ultimate success will be difficult to assess, however, until McGimpsey decides whether he is fit enough to complete the final two rounds today. Winner of 13 championships, including the 1985 British Open, his prospects of adding this title to the West of Ireland, as he did in 1988, hinges on the overnight reaction from a damaged right shoulder.

A problem that started out as tendonitis, is now causing referred pain down his back. "It felt extremely sore throughout the back nine and I must be considered doubtful," he said after a second round of 71 had left him on 148, five strokes off the lead. "If I can keep going, I feel I have the ability to win but I will have to wait until the morning before making a decision."

The withdrawal of former international John Dickson, who followed a first round 73 with a dispiriting 80 for what became the qualifying limit of 153, meant that every player on that figure got among the leading 50. As usual, there were a number of notable casualties, including former champions Mark Gannon and Denis O'Sullivan on 158. And the defending champion, Declan Branigan, was two strokes further back after adding a 78 to an opening 80.

Despite the quality of the course and the relatively benign conditions, it is interesting that nobody from the original field of 150 has succeeded in breaking 70. In fact a 70 has been the best score so far and it was done by Chris Devlin, a 21 year old from Ballymena who produced a sparkling finish, carding birdies at the last four holes for an aggregate of 144.

One over par on the tea at the short 15th, he proceeded to hit a six iron to 15 feet and sank the putt. Then came a fine bunker recovery of 120 yards to 20 feet at the 16th for a most unlikely birdie. And the sequence was maintained when an eight foot putt, following a six iron tee shot, found the target at the short 17th.

Down the last, Devlin smashed two drivers into a fresh breeze and then hit a sandwedge to eight feet to set up a closing birdie. It represented quite a performance for a player who has yet to gain representative honours at any level.

This was one of those rare occasions when amateurs were given the opportunity of competing in conditions comparable to European Tour standards. "I have never putted on greens as fast and true as those, in 30 years competing in this country, said Tralee's Arthur Spring, who should know about such matters, given his status as a prominent golf course architect.

Even McGimpsey, who has twice played in the US Masters at Augusta National, admitted they were a bit scary but very true. He was competing late in the day when they had been subjected to heavy traffic and had he come a little crusty from exposure to the elements. "I suspect they will be even better in another two weeks, be added.

Moran, a two handicapper whose championship activities are limited to this event, had four birdies in a 72 which was all the more creditable for the fact that it contained a double bogey. This came at the menacing, short fifth where he made the cardinal error of pushing his tee shot into the front right bunker from where he could escape only backwards.

He had already birdied the long second, where he chipped to four feet, and the fourth, where he wedged to eight feet. So, he reached the turn in level par 37. Then, on the homeward journey, he bogeyed the 10th where he sent his approach into a greenside trap, but responded by holing a 30 footer for a birdie at the 13th and a four footer for another birdie at the short 15th.

McGimpsey also had a double bogey on his card. His grief involved a badly pulled second shot at the 10th where he took four to get on the green and then missed a six foot putt. That knocked him back to level par for the round but he covered the remainder in two under.

Precise approach play left him needing to sink birdie efforts of no more than eight feet at the 11th, 16th and 18th. His last effort was the product of a drive, three wood and a pitch to three feet and did much to ease the ache that remained with him through the evening, even when he attempted to relax.