Smyth opens one-shot lead in chase for Scottish prize

GOLF DIGEST: SENIORS TOUR:Ireland's Des Smyth saw his son Greg win €9.42 million in a recent Irish National Lottery and now he has a great chance to claim a €43,000 windfall of his own after carding a four-under-par 68 to open a one-shot lead after the first round of Scottish Seniors Open over the East course at the Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel Country Club near Edinburgh.

The 55-year-old from Drogheda produced three birdies and a sensational eagle three on the 500-yard 10th to go into the second round one-shot ahead of Spain's Domingo Hospital and two in front on an international quintet comprising Scotland's Bill Longmuir, Chile's Angel Fernandez, Italy's Costantino Rocca and America's Jerry Bruner and Bob Boyd.

Local favourite Sam Torrance opened his account with a battling one-under-par 71 to share eighth place with Simon Owen, Jim Lapsley, Kevin Spurgeon, Peter Mitchell and 2007 European Seniors Tour number one Carl Mason but it was a different story for 2007 Scottish Seniors Open champion José Rivero who struggled to a two over par 74 to finish back in a share of 29th place.

FEDEX CUP:Sergio Garcia charged into second place early in the second round at the Tour Championship yesterday.

Garcia, coming off a poor Ryder Cup performance, put that disappointment behind him to pick up four birdies in seven holes at East Lake.

The Spaniard jumped to five under after nine holes, three strokes behind American leader Anthony Kim, who continued to lead in pleasant conditions.

Vijay Singh continued to struggle, dropping three shots in 12 holes to slide to six over.

CHALLENGE TOUR:A sensational albatross two gave Michael Hoey's second round at the European Challenge Tour's Dutch Futures an injection of adrenaline to propel the Belfast man into second place on the clubhouse leaderboard.

Hoey, level par after seven holes, hit a great drive down the par-five eighth fairway before producing a perfect six iron that landed softly and rolled straight into the cup. That took Hoey to three under for his round, a score he managed to maintain until the end of the day, giving him a second consecutive 69 and a halfway total of six under 138 - one stroke behind England's Chris Gane and the Australian Andrew Tampion.

Hoey, currently 31st on the Challenge Tour Rankings with just four events remaining, needs a big finish in the next few weeks as he attempts to regain his European Tour card via the top 20 on the final rankings.

Colm Moriarty and Peter O'Keeffe look likely to miss the halfway cut when the weather-delayed second round resumes this morning.

WORLD CUP:Canada's Wes Heffernan and Graham DeLaet join Mikko Korhonen and Roope Kakko of Finland at the top of the leaderboard after the second round foursomes at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup Qualifier in Poland.

Finland, who led by one shot overnight, continued their run of good form shooting a four-under-par 68 in the challenging foursomes format to take them to 12 under par.

This total was later matched when Canada carded an impressive 67, the best round of the day, to join the Finns at 12 under.

LET TOUR:Italy's Stefania Croce maintained her overnight lead after the second round of the Vediorbis Open de France Dames yesterday.

Croce shot rounds of 67 and 68 at Le Golf D'Arras for a halfway total of 135, nine-under-par. She was six-under-par for her opening six holes after four birdies and an eagle.