A SECOND round 71 kept Padraig Harrington in sight of a second European Tour victory this weekend, but he will start the third stage of the Slaley Hall Northumberland Challenge six strokes behind pacemaker Retief Goosen.
The South African yesterday added a 69 to his record opening 66 for a nine under par mark that gave him a five shot advantage over compatriot Hendrik Buhrmann and Edinburgh's Andrew Oldcorn.
Harrington shares third place with the English trio of Gordon J Brand, David Howell and Lee Westwood, Welshman Stephen Dodd, and the German Heinz Peter Thul at three under par.
Paul McGinley came home in 34 to also qualify and, much to his surprise, so too did Waterville's David Higgins. He was convinced his 75 for a four over par 148 would not be good enough and caught a plane to London with the intention of flying home last night. But a check with the Northumberland club revealed he had made only his third cut in eight 1996 events, and Higgins made the return journey to meet today's early starting time.
The withdrawal of Raymond Burns, who complained of an upset stomach yesterday after scoring 79 on Thursday, acted against the interests of Harrington who had been one of his playing partners. It consigned the Spanish Open champion to playing a two ball with Paul Curry amid a field of trios.
Harrington found his rhythm disrupted by continuous hold ups. I tried to slow down as much as possible but then I found myself rushing my shots," he said. "I was brain dead most of the way round and I wasn't sharp.
Three birdies in the first five holes suggested he would make progress in pursuit of Goosen, who was by lunchtime was celebrating his 10th birdie and just one mistake from a three putt at the third on the first day.
But Harrington three putted the ninth to be out in level par, and made only one inward birdie. That came at the 10th from eight feet, and thereafter the chances slipped away, notably at the 16th where he lipped out from five yards, and at the 17th where he left a birdie chance from similar length some two inches short of the hole.
"Play got really slow and I just could not concentrate," added Harrington who will accompany former Amateur champion Dodd today.
McGinley also began with a flourish, making birdies at the second and fourth, but in four holes to the turn let slip as many strokes. He had a double bogey at the eighth, where he drove into a bush and found his nearest point of relief was to drop his ball into another.
But the Dubliner pulled himself together in good time, hitting a five iron to only four feet for a two at the 14th, then getting down from 30 feet to birdie the 16th and get round in 73 for 147.
Higgins also owed his salvation to two late birdies after a poor outward half of 41.
Ronan Rafferty, who is now the tournament professional at Slaley Hall, departed with 76 for 149, and Francis Howley went out, with 76 for 151. Eoghan O'Connell's 78 was an improvement of four strokes, but his total of 160 was 12 over the cut off mark.
