IT WAS not a good Friday for Philip Walton in Madeira yesterday where his hopes of a return to form on his 35th birthday were undermined by a lack of confidence in his short game.
The Ryder Cup golfer signed for a two over par 74 when the protracted first round of the Madeira Island Open was completed 24 hours behind schedule, with Walton's personal tour of Santo da Serra taking more than 12 hours to complete.
He will start his second round this afternoon eight shots behind pacemaker Andrew Coltart, who had a faultless 66 for a one shot advantage over Dutchman Rolf Muntz. Tournament director David Probyn has reduced the event to 54 holes in the light of a weather forecast which promises more disruption this weekend.
The good news for the leading 65 and ties who qualify after the second round is hopefully completed this evening, is that the full prize fund of £300,000 will be distributed, an important consideration for all Ryder Cup contenders.
Walton, hero of the 1995 European victory at Oak Hill, is currently 138th in the Volvo Ranking and has not so far figured in the top 80 of the qualifying table for this year's match at Valderrama in September.
"My confidence is low" he admits, "and I need to get a good performance under my belt before we come to the big tournaments."
But it was not all gloomy for Walton yesterday. After resuming at three over par on the seventh tee, and dropping a further shot to be out in a four over par 40, he came home in 34 with three birdies in his first five inward holes.
Only Des Smyth and John McHenry of the seven strong Irish contingent did better, both returning par 72s. Padraig Harrington took 73, David Higgins and Francis Howley both had 76 and Raymond Burns withdrew with a bad back after scoring 78.
Smyth was third last year after four putts on the notorious final green on the last day cost him his winning chance. There must have been haunting memories for Smyth when he three putted on his opening hole yesterday, but he persevered and with birdies at the third and 14th and only one other mistake at the fifth, he gave himself every chance of another high finish tomorrow.
McHenry, meanwhile, played solidly, mixing three birdies with three bogeys, but Harrington had a seven on his card.
Playing the last of 10 successive tournaments, the Stackstown golfer paid a high penalty for a bad drive at the 16th where he twice hit trees in trying to escape from the woods, and needed a three wood to find the green in five.
Smyth and Harrington were among those who started their second rounds yesterday evening. Smyth was level par after 26 holes and Harrington one under after 25 when play was suspended at 7.00 p.m. McHenry was two over par after 24, but Howley had fallen to nine over after 27. Walton and Higgins, meanwhile, will commence their second efforts this morning.
