Golf Digest - Senior Tour:Marc Farry shot the lowest round of his European Senior Tour career to take a one stroke lead into the final round of the Cannes Mougins Masters – and then admitted he did not expect to play well this week.
Farry, who started the day four strokes behind overnight leader Des Smyth, has been heavily involved in organising the inaugural event at Cannes Mougins, which limited his practice in the build up to the €250,000 tournament.
After an opening round 69, the Frenchman made a blistering start to his second round with a hat-trick of birdies, initiated by a huge 40 foot putt on the first hole. He then added five more birdies and dropped just one shot – when his drive nestled behind a tree on the seventh hole – to card a seven under par 65.
Like Farry and second placed Gordon Brand Jnr, Smyth is chasing his second victory of the season having captured his first title since 2007 at Woburn last month.
“It was a much more difficult day today,” said Smyth, who followed his opening round 65 with a 74 yesterday. “I gave away a few simple shots today. I three-putted 17 for a six, which was disappointing.
“I just never got any mojo going. I actually played alright and didn’t hit any destructive shots but just made a couple of mistake on the greens. I’ll be trying to shoot another low one tomorrow though.”
CHALLENGE TOUR: Austrian Bernd Wiesberger celebrated his birthday weekend in style with a commanding four stroke victory in the Golf Open du Grand Toulouse, his second Challenge Tour success of the season.
Wiesberger, who turned 25 on Friday, won with a final round of 68 and a nine under par total of 275, to climb to fifth place on the Challenge Tour Rankings and seal his card for The 2011 European Tour.
The strong winds of the previous two days were replaced by persistent heavy rain at Golf de Toulouse-Seilh in the Midi Pyrenees but Wiesberger didn’t put a foot wrong as he kept home favourite Charles-Edouard Russo at bay, the Frenchman claiming second with a closing 71.
Ireland’s Colm Moriarty was a model of consistency over the four days with rounds of 71, 70, 70 and 71 to finish in a tie for eighth place.
US TOUR:Charles Howell shot a flawless final round of eight under par 62 to post the early clubhouse lead in the closing round of the McGladrey Classic at Sea Island, Georgia yesterday.
Howell set a target of 11-under-par 269 but that looked unlikely to be good enought with Heath Slocum and David Toms tied for the lead on the course at 14 under with five holes to play. Saturday’s 66 was the third straight round of four under par by Slocum.
“Just another solid day,” the 36-year-old Slocum said of that effort. “Drove it well again, only missed a couple of fairways. Hit some good iron shots.”
