DUNLOP PHOENIX: Defending champion Padraig Harrington conjured up a touch of magic at the final hole to share the lead with Ian Poulter after the second round at the Dunlop Phoenix tournament yesterday.
Harrington, stymied by a couple of trees from taking dead aim at the pin with his second shot at the par-five 18th, hit a big fade from 247 yards, almost holing out before tapping in for eagle on another pleasant day at Phoenix Country Club in Miyazaki.
"I listened to the crowd and their reaction told me it was very close. I thought it was maybe six or seven feet, but when I came up I found it was a foot away," he said after carding a five-under-par 65 to equal the day's best round.
The British Open champion joined first-round leader Poulter (68) on seven-under 133, one stroke ahead of Finn Mikko Ilonen (65) and Japanese duo Shingo Katayama (67) and Daisuke Maruyama (67).
Harrington's strong finish more than made amends for a three-putt bogey at the 17th, and he was in no mood to complain about his position, especially after a slow start that included a bogey at the second hole.
"Three or four holes into the round my caddie was having a stern talk with me," he revealed. "I wanted to start quickly and I did the opposite. I was getting frustrated and losing patience.
"He was at pains to point out we'd only played 22 holes and there were 50 holes to go. After that I made some birdies and got right into the thick of things.
"I need to be in contention to keep the adrenaline there and I'm right where I want to be and need to be. I'm happy to be where I am."
While Harrington and Poulter played in front of sparse galleries, 16-year-old amateur Ryo Ishikawa again attracted the vast majority of spectators. And he did not disappoint, playing his usual aggressive game to shoot 68 and improve to equal 30th, seven strokes off the pace.
In May, Ishikawa won a Japan Tour event aged 15 to become the youngest player to win on any recognised tour.
EUROPEAN SENIORS: American Chuck Milne and Paraguay's Angel Franco led the qualifiers after the second and last round of the European Seniors Tour Qualifying School, Stage One, in the Algarve.
The pair finished on two-under 142 over the two courses, Quinta de Cima and Pinheiros Altos.
Among the 50 qualifiers were four Irishmen - Billy Todd, Dermot Morris, Paddy O'Boyle and Chris Hurst.
LPGA TOUR: Korea's Mi Hyun Kim shot a two-under 70 in the second round to grab a one-shot lead in the the season-ending ADT Championship in Florida.
She leads on seven under par from Americans Morgan Pressell and Christina Kim in the race for the record first prize of $1 million (€700,000).
