US Tour: A blistering six-under-par 65 helped Padraig Harrington to a share of second place as the early finishers completed their second rounds in the Barclays Classic at Westchester CC, Rye, New York.
Harrington, who shares second place with John Senden, Kenny Perry, Len Mattiace and Hidemichi Tanaka on 136, trails Jim Furyk by two shots.
Starting at the 10th Harrington reached the turn in 31 (four under) with the help of an eagle three at the 18th, and he fired three more birdies on the second nine before dropping his only shot at the eighth.
US WOMEN'S OPEN: Amateur Michelle Wie set the clubhouse target of level par after a second-round 73 in the US Open Championship at Cherry Hills CC, Colorado yesterday.
Wie, on 142, leads by one from Rachel Hetherington with Karine Icher also in the clubhouse on 144 after a 75.
SENIORS TOUR: Noel Ratcliffe, who won the Irish Seniors Open three weeks ago, replicated that sort of form with a flawless five-under-par 67 that included birdies on the sixth, eighth, ninth, 14th and 16th in the first round of the De Vere Northumberland Seniors Classic over the Priestman course at Slaley Hall yesterday.
Eamonn Darcy is one of 10 players tied for second place after a 68, which was highlighted by an outstanding eagle at the fourth where he hit a three-iron in to 12 feet and then slotted the putt for a three.
CHAMPIONS TOUR: Des Smyth shot a three-under-par 69 in the first round of the Bank of America Championship at Nashawtuc CC Concord, Massachusetts, yesterday.
Smyth, among the early starters, trails clubhouse leader Leonard Thompson by two shots.
CHALLENGE TOUR: Denmark's Anders S Hansen drew on the confidence derived from his first professional victory last week by setting the season's best halfway total and largest 36-hole lead in the Galeria Kaufhof Pokal Challenge at Rittergut Birkhof GC in Germany. Hansen tagged a seven under par 65 to his opening 63 for a total of 128, 16 under par.
On a day for the Danes, it was Hansen's fellow countryman, Thomas Nielsen, who emerged from the pack late in the day to take second place on 132, 12 under par, after carding a blistering second round of 63 which included 29 home with an eagle and seven birdies.
EUROPEAN OPEN: New US Open champion Michael Campbell has decided to play only one event - next week's European Open at the K Club - prior to the British Open at St Andrews.
The New Zealander pulled out of this week's French Open the moment he won at Pinehurst on Sunday and is to skip the Scottish Open in a fortnight's time also.
YOUTHS: West Waterford's Séamus Power shot a final round of 68 for a total of 284 to capture the Irish Youths Amateur Open Championship at Portumna Golf Club by a shot from Athenry's Michael Mulryan with overnight leader Brian O'Connor a further shot back on third place.
Trailing by seven strokes entering the final round, Power put himself in contention with birdies on the sixth, eighth and ninth holes before reeling off seven straight pars, and a birdie at the last saw him over the winning line by the narrowest of margins.
