Harrington lets lead slip in Portugal

Golf:Austrian Bernd Wiesberger, twice a winner this season, took over at the top with a near-flawless second round 65 in the Portugal Masters today.

It looked like being Pádraig Harrington’s morning at Oceanico Victoria when he went two clear with six birdies in his first 11 holes. But in a real mixed bag of a finish the 41-year-old Irish star, without a European Tour victory for over four years, had a double bogey, two more birdies and two bogeys, both of those coming when he three-putted.

Harrington’s 67 for six under allowed 27-year-old Wiesberger to edge one ahead after five birdies and an eagle two at the 315-yard 15th, his sixth.

The Vienna golfer’s lone dropped shot came at the difficult seventh, where his drive picked up mud and his approach finished in the greenside bunker.

Michael Hoey faces an anxious afternoon after a one-over par round of 72 left him on the projected cutline of level par. If the Ulster golfer does make the weekend action, he will look back on the two birdies in his three closing holes as the key. Simon Thornton will miss the cut after a 72 left him on six over.