Kearney sweeps into six-shot lead

Kenneth Kearney had the thrilling, elusive feeling that he simply couldn't hit a bad shot, while sweeping into the half-way lead in the AIB East of Ireland Championship at Baltray yesterday. The 31-year-old Galway-based international, carded a second round of 66 for 135 - 11 under par - to be six strokes clear, going into today's closing 36 holes.

He might have expected something like this after being third leading qualifier in the British Amateur at Royal Co Down last Tuesday. But a chill wind and punishing rough did not create a particularly inviting stage for record exploits.

So, there was tremendous merit in a stunning homeward journey of 30 which contained a run of seven threes from the 11th - eagle, birdie, birdie, birdie, par, birdie, par. "That's as good as it has ever got for me," he said afterwards. "I kept expecting it to stop, but it didn't. It was an eerie experience."

In the process, Kearney became the first player in the history of the championship to break 70 in each of the opening two rounds. And yesterday's effort equalled the amateur course record set by Raymond Burns in the opening round in defence of the title in 1993.

Indeed, times past were also revived for rapt television viewers in the club lounge. Many of them felt a special glow while watching the 1989 East champion, Darren Clarke, capturing the English Open, 10 years on.

Meanwhile, the quality of Kearney's performance was placed in perspective by South African visitor Ryan Reid, who held the overnight lead with a 67. In attempting to build on his advantage, Reid started his second round with a double-bogey six and ran up another double-bogey at the 13th en route to a 77.

Compatriot Henk Alberts, who was tied second overnight on 68, fared even worse, carding a wretched 84 to be among those on 152 to miss the cut. Dermot Snow, Frank Gannon and Seamus McParland were the only players on that figure to get through.

But Gareth Bohill, the local four-handicapper who got into the field as a late reserve, followed up an opening 69 with a highly creditable 72. "I felt so fortunate to be in the field that all I wanted to do was make the cut," he said after a round that would have been better, but for bogeys at the 13th, where he missed the green, and at the short 15th which he three-putted.

Kearney, winner of the West of Ireland in 1992 and the Irish Close in 1997, quickly became aware of the changed conditions when he needed a two-iron second shot to reach the first. And his play had been solid rather than spectacular as he stood one under par for the round on the 11th tee.

That's where the golfing gods took control of his game. With a three-wood second shot to eight feet, he set up an eagle three. Then came four-iron second shots to 12 feet and two feet for birdies at the 12th and 13th respectively. They were followed by a drive pin-high downwind at the 14th for a pitch-and-putt birdie and by a par at the short 15th.

He went on to birdie the 16th with a six-iron second shot from rough to three feet and had a regulation three at the next. All of which meant that a birdie four at the last would have given him a homeward 29 and the amateur course record.

At that stage, the unseen force guiding his fortunes decided to call a halt. But Kearney thought otherwise, even after pulling his drive into rough at the 18th. "Feeling I could do anything, I got a bit greedy," he admitted by way of explaining a pulled three-wood second. And in the end, he was happy to make a modest, closing par.