When Seve Ballesteros shot a first round 65 in the Lancome Trophy on Thursday anyone would have got long odds on Irishman Des Smyth, who had a 69, finishing ahead of him at the halfway stage.
But that is precisely what happened at St Nom la Breteche yesterday as Ballesteros tumbled to a 73 for a four under par 138 which left him two behind the Drogheda professional, who had an excellent 67 yesterday, and six adrift of new leader Tony Johnstone.
The Zimbabwean's 65, in which he had six birdies in an outward 30, gave him a one-stroke halfway advantage over Greg Norman and his fellow Australian Peter O'Malley as a persistent drizzle replaced the balmy late summer Parisian sunshine.
Norman had nine birdies in his 66, ending with five in-a-row. Darren Clarke had his second triple bogey seven in a second 73, to miss the cut by three shots. "I have some work to do to get into top shape for the Ryder Cup," he admitted.
Smyth began this week in 131st position in the Volvo rankings, and in considerable danger of losing the Tour card he has held continuously for 21 years. The 44year-old has had 15 failures this season and has earned only £35,000 sterling, some £20,000 short of the amount he needs to retain his playing privileges.
"The difference this week is that my short game has been much sharper," he said, after gathering five birdies to take a share of fifth place alongside Ryder Cup men Lee Westwood of the European team, and American Mark O'Meara. Smyth birdied three of the first four holes from the 10th, his first hole. Two putts of 15 feet and another from 10 feet were converted with his broomhandle putter, and he turned in 33.
He made further inroads with a second birdie two at the third from a three-iron shot to 15 feet, and needed only a five-iron to get home downwind at the eighth.
Clarke said he could not remember when he last had a triple bogey seven, never mind two in one tournament. Again it resulted from a bad drive, as he went into trees and was forced to lay up short of the pond at the
369-yard dog-leg fifth. He was still in thick rough and put his third shot into the water.
A bogey at the ninth where he took seven in the first round, put him out in 40, and from six over there was no escaping the axe.
Eamonn Darcy cut 10 strokes off his first round 76 to ease past the cut. He turned in 34, and put in a grandstand finish. At the sixth, his 15th, he hit a massive drive, then a five-iron, and sank a putt of 12 feet for an eagle three. At the eighth he escaped with a par five, despite hitting a tree with his drive and going into heavy rough. David Higgins had a second 75 to be seven shots outside the mark that Ronan Rafferty beat by only one, after taking two sixes in his 73. Philip Walton also qualified with a 71 for 141.
