US TOUR: American Tom Pernice fired a flawless 10-under-par 62 to grab the early second-round lead at the Funai Classic at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando yesterday, but Tiger Woods was battling to make the cut.
Pernice, still seeking his first top 10 finish of the season, began his round at the Palm Golf Club, which appropriately enough seems to be rather Mickey Mouse, with three pars, but then birdied 10 of the next 15 holes, including three straight to finish, leaving him on 15-under 129.
Woods, the winner of six events this season and within sight of Vijay Singh's single-season earnings record, was one over through five holes thanks to a triple-bogey seven on the fifth.
With the projected cut at five-under, the British Open and US Masters champion sits at three-under with 13 to play.
Lurking one shot behind Pernice at 14-under 130 is Australia's Geoff Ogilvy. He had looked poised to join Pernice until he had his only bogey of the day at his last to slip to six-under 66 at the Magnolia Golf Club, the tougher of two courses being used at for the £4.4 million event.
CHAMPIONS TOUR: Mark McNulty was putting up a stout defence of his title last night in the opening round of the SBC Championship in Texas.
The Irishman, coming off a win last week, was tied for second on five under par after 12 holes at Oak Hills Country Club in San Antonio. That left him a shot behind former European Ryder Cup captain Mark James, who had also played 12 holes. Des Smyth withdrew before the start of the round.
CHALLENGE TOUR: Stephen Browne's great escape act continued at the Apulia San Domenico Grand Final yesterday. The Dubliner carded a third round of three-under-par 68 to move to eight-under-par 208, five shots behind leader Marco Ruiz of Paraguay with 18 holes to play before the top 20 European Challenge Tour players are rewarded with a place on the main Tour.
The 32-year-old lies 24th in the rankings, and can break into the top 20 with a good weekend.
Michael Hoey remains three under after a 72 left him three strokes ahead of David Higgins and Colm Moriarty, who produced respective scores of 72 and 68 to move into a tie for 29th place.
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