Maybin slips as Vancsik takes lead

ITALIAN OPEN: ARGENTINA'S Daniel Vancsik moved into a one-stroke lead at the BMW Italian Open in Turin after an impressive second round display.

Vancsik added a 65 to his opening 68 for a nine under aggregate while Northern Ireland's Gareth Maybin, three clear after his opening course record 64, slipped to second place with a 70.

The 32-year-old is known for his big hitting, but it was his putter that was his most impressive weapon when he returned to Royal Park I Roveri four behind Maybin.

In grabbing five birdies in six holes around the turn he holed twice from 20 feet and also converted a 25 foot chance.

"When I feel good about your putting I am more relaxed," he said.

Maybin said after his two-birdie, one-bogey round: "That was hard work - too hard. Tee to green I was not very good, but usually anyone who finishes well is going to have one of those days and hopefully that's mine out of the way."

England's Anthony Wall, Icelander Birgir Hafthorsson and Finn Roope Kakko are in joint third place on seven-under-par 135. Wall shot 67, Hafthorsson a 65 and Kakko, who received a late call-up to the event, a 64.

That was a European Tour best for the 27-year-old, but will not join Maybin's opening round as a course record because placing was allowed on the fairways.

That also applies, of course, to South African Andrew McLardy, who improved from three over to four under with the help of a hole in one at the 208 yards fourth.

On the same mark is American star John Daly after a second successive 69 - in fact, a third in a row as he finished last week's Open de España with one.

"Yesterday could have been really low and today could have been really high," said the 43-year-old.

Jonathan Caldwell and Michael McGeady both shot 68s yesterday for a halfway total of 139 while Mary Murphy also made the cut after a 72.

However eight-times European number one Colin Montgomerie bogeyed the final two holes to crash out just as he did in the Spanish Open a week ago.

"I should not be missing cuts in these tournaments," said the Ryder Cup captain. "I came to gain on the Order of Merit and world rankings and I'm losing ground."

He is currently a lowly 96th on the Race To Dubai money list and down at 171st in the world.

Three birdies in four holes from the 13th looked to have saved Montgomerie, but he failed to get up and down from a bunker at the 17th and on the last missed the green again and left his chip 25 feet short.

That meant a second successive 72 for a two-over-par total and he joined Darren Clarke in making an early exit. Clarke finished down on seven over after rounds of 74 and 75.