Cavan course suits Smyth

PERHAPS it had something to do with the Cavan air, but a return to past tires where he claimed his last professional victory provided PGA European Tour player Des Smyth with enough inspiration to assume the first round lead in the Quinn Direct PGA Charity Trophy at Slieve Russell yesterday.

Smyth, winner of the Irish PGA title over this course almost 12 months ago to the day, fired an errorless four under par 68 to take a one stroke lead over Philip Walton and Fota Island club professional Kevin Morris at the midway stage of this 36 hole £50,000 event.

"My ball striking has been very good of late," admitted Smyth. "But I've been shooting 72s and 735 on the Tour and you just don't make the cut with that scoring, the shooting is just so hot." Still, it all came good yesterday, although placing due to recent heavy rain, was a decided advantage.

Indeed, Smyth, who started at the 10th and sank a 15 footer for birdie at his second hole, inflicted the real damage on his back nine. Using his Ping putter to good effect, he holed three consecutive birdies at the first, second and third, from 15, 15 and 10 feet respectively - and, perhaps, the only surprising aspect of his round was his failure to birdie any of the par fives.

In contrast, Morris, who plies his skills on the domestic circuit demonstrated his power when reducing the 502 yard 13th hole to a drive and six iron to eight feet, unfortunately missing the eagle putt. However, Walton, alongside him on 69, produced arguably the shot of the day at that same 13th, hitting a five wood approach to 30 inches to grab an eagle.

Among those in pursuit entering the final round are Eamonn Darcy and Christy O'Connor Jnr, both on 70, alongside Irish Assistants champion Paul Russell, with Padraig Harrington a shot further back on 71. Harrington agonisingly missed a fourfooter for birdie at the last - "a 70 would have been a better indication of the way I played," he claimed but was impressed with his first competitive round over a course he assessed as "long and tough, not a course you'll make too many birdies on".

Meanwhile, three Gardai from the local Ballyconnell station were summoned to unfamiliar duty yesterday when Portadown club professionals Paul Stevenson's Pro Am team failed to arrive. A phone call to the Garda station, however, solved the problem and gave the off duty men in blue a rather nice day out.