Clarke and Maybin both lose ground

GOLF: EUROPEAN TOUR: The Northern Irish pair of Darren Clarke and Gareth Maybin lost ground on the second day of the Africa Open at East London Golf Club where a trio of players moved into a share of the lead at the halfway stage.

Clarke recorded four bogeys against two birdies, as he signed for a two over 75. It dropped the 42-year-old back to two under where he was joined by Ballyclare native Maybin, who remained static with his level par 73.

Both are safely into the weekend but they have a mountain to climb if they are to feature at the business end come Sunday afternoon.

The Irish duo find themselves eight shots adrift of the overnight lead held by South Africa’s Brandon Grace (69), Markus Brier (66) and Miles Tunnicliff (69), who were all on 10 under 136.

Tunnicliff (42) burst out of the blocks with five consecutive birdies, but such a fast start could never be maintained and the English veteran eventually covered the remaining 13 holes in one over in blustery conditions, while Austrian Brier carded the low round of the day.

A dual South African challenge, in the form of Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel, could be the primary threat over the weekend. British Open champion Oosthuizen is just one shot off the lead after shooting 67, while defending champion Schwartzel (70) was two shots further back.

Retief Goosen was a big name casualty after a 73, for a two over aggregate, left the double major winner two shots outside the cut.

LEADING SECOND ROUND SCORES: (Irish in bold, British unless stated, par 73): 136 – M Brier (Aut) 70 66, B Grace (Rsa) 67 69, M Tunnicliff 67 69; 137 – L Oosthuizen (Rsa) 70 67, J Van Zyl (Rsa) 67 70, R McGowan 68 69; 138 – E Saltman 67 71; 139 – F Ohlsson (Swe) 67 72, C Schwartzel (Rsa) 69 70, M Quiros (Spa) 71 68; 140 – C Del Moral (Spa) 70 70, O Bekker (Rsa) 69 71, J Kruger (Rsa) 68 72; 141 – J-B Gonnet (Fra) 67 74, C Wood 72 69, T Aiken (Rsa) 69 72, K Horne (Rsa) 71 70, T Van Aswegen (Rsa) 70 71, T Fisher Jnr (Rsa) 69 72; 142 – A Haindl (Rsa) 70 72, E Tage Johansen (Nor) 71 71, D Van Den Heever (Rsa) 71 71, W Abery (Rsa) 69 73, D Greene (Rsa) 70 72, W Ormsby (Aus) 69 73. Irish scores: 144 – Gareth Maybin 71 73, Darren Clarke 69 75.

US TOUR:US Open champion, Graeme McDowell is five shots off the pace at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii following an opening two under 71.

The select 33-player event marks the opening event of the new PGA Tour season for last season’s tournament winners.

McDowell had little trouble picking up birdies over the Plantation Course at the Kapalua Resort but he bogeyed two of bogeys over the final six holes.

American Jonathan Byrd and Sweden’s Carl Pettersson set the pace as both carded fine 66s.

Byrd hit six birdies and an eagle two at the par four 10th, while his only bogey of the day came at the 13th. Pettersson had no eagles but enjoyed eight birdies and just one dropped shot at the sixth.

Francesco Molinari and Ian Poulter are both well-placed after respective rounds of 69 and 70.

LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES (US unless stated): 66 – Jonathan Byrd, Carl Pettersson (Swe); 67 – Ben Crane; 68 – Bill Haas, Charley Hoffman, Jim Furyk; 69 – Robert Garrigus, Stuart Appleby (Aus), Anthony Kim, Francesco Molinari (Ita), Steve Stricker, Matt Kuchar; 70 – Bill Lunde, Heath Slocum, Ian Poulter (Brit), Ryan Palmer, Bubba Watson, Hunter Mahan; 71 – Graeme McDowell (N Ire), Zach Johnson, Dustin Johnson.

ROYAL TROPHY: The opening day ended honours even as defending champions Europe drew 2-2 with Asia in yesterday's foursomes. Colin Montgomerie, returning as player-captain once again after guiding Europe to a 8-1/2 to 7-1/2 victory last year, ensured his side went into the second day on level terms after the Scot and playing partner Rhys Davies beat Yuta Ikeda and Kim Kyung-tae 2 and 1 at the Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin.

Europe led as Swedish duo Peter Hanson and Fredrik Andersson Hed eased to a convincing 7 and 5 win over Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and Indian’s Jeev Milkha Singh.

Asia battled back, though, as Noh Seung-yul of South Korea and China’s Liang Wenchong edged Henrik Stenson and Johan Edfors 3 and 2 to tie the scores.

The hosts then moved ahead as Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa and compatriot Shunsuke Sonoda defeated Italy’s Matteo Manassero and Spain’s Pablo Martin 3 and 2.

ROYAL TROPHY (at Black Mountain GC, Hua Hin, Thailand) – Day One – Foursomes: Asia 2 Europe 2 (Asia first – L Wenchong N Seung-yul bt H Stenson and J Edfors 32; Y Ikeda K Kyung-tae lost to C Montgomerie R Davies 21; R Ishikawa S Sonoda bt M Manassero P Martin 32; T Jaidee JM Singh lost to P Hanson F Andersson Hed 75.