Des Smyth has Irish Seniors

title in his sights

By STEVE TODD, European Seniors Tour Press Officer
Des Smyth goes in to the final round of the Irish Seniors Open in association with Failte Ireland and Allied Irish Bank with his sights firmly set on becoming the first home winner in a decade after a fine three under par round of 68.
The man from Drogheda is one shot clear of the field at Ballyliffin Golf Club as he chases his first European Seniors Tour win since the Wentworth Senior Masters last year.
Smyth carded five birdies and two bogeys in blustery conditions on the links course in front of a healthy home crowd in Co. Donegal.
The 55 year old admitted the tournament was one he was eager to win and give the Irish support their first home champion since Joe McDermott’s victory at Woodbrook Golf Club in 1998.
Smyth said: “I’m up for it tomorrow. I’m hitting a lot of good shots. I’m still hitting some bad ones but I’m very much up for it.
“This is a title I want to win more than anything. The only other one I would prefer is the Senior Open Championship but this is a big tournament for me and I’d love to win it.
“When I won last year at Wentworth I wasn’t really playing that well and it picked my season up. When I then went back to America I had some good finishes. A win gives you confidence and I’ll be out there tomorrow trying my hardest.
“I got lucky once or twice today,” he added. “I had some extraordinary birdies on the back nine. But then when I got into such a good position, I wanted to press on and finish five under. That’s what I really wanted to do. Overall though I had a good round. It was tough out there.
Smyth, who has two Seniors Tour wins in his career, said that despite being a strong player in the wind on links courses he hoped the conditions would not be too adverse for the final round.
“I’d like to be out there playing golf tomorrow. People tell me I’m a good wind player – and I have been – but I would prefer to play golf. I don’t want to be out there trying to hang on to par on every hole which it sounds like I might have to do. I’d rather go out and shoot a 68 or a 69.”
Smyth is a shot clear of England’s Gordon J Brand and Spain’s Juan Quiros, who are both on two under par after round of 70 and 69 respectively.
Scottish pair Bill Longmuir and Sam Torrance, the Ryder Cup winning captain, are a shot further back on one under par while defending champion Costantino Rocca, of Italy, is still in the frame on level par after a second successive round of 71.
Leader Smyth of course, was one of Ian Woosnam’s vice-captains when Europe won The Ryder Cup at The K Club in Ireland two years ago and he could face some stiff competition from the Welshman for the title tomorrow.
Woosnam ditched his trademark long putter in favour of a short putter after his opening round 76 and it paid dividends as he surged up the leaderboard with a fine four under par 67 today.
Despite once again battling a troublesome hip injury, Woosnam matched overnight leader Alan Tapie’s opening round total to move to one over par following a fine triple birdie finish.
Woosnam said: “I played well today and had a good finish with birdies on the last three holes. I used a short putter today as well. It’s been a while. There wasn’t anything wrong with the long putter I just thought I would try the short putter today. I’ve been practising with it at home and all of a sudden it just felt more comfortable. I’ve realigned myself and it seems to have worked.”
“It’s about getting going on this course and holing a few putts. The round yesterday was similar to the last round I had in Wales last week when I didn’t hole any putts and all a sudden you are over par. When it’s windy like it is here you’ve got to hole those six footers.
“If the wind gets up Complete Irish Seniors Open in association with Failte Ireland and Allied Irish Bank, then I'm right bank in it. If I can shoot another one of those tomorrow, then I have a definite chance of winning."
SECOND ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
139 D Smyth (Irl) 71 68.
140 J Quiros (Esp) 71 69, G Brand (Eng) 70 70.
141 S Torrance (Sco) 71 70, B Longmuir (Sco) 71 70.
142 C Rocca (Ita) 71 71; A Barrera (Arg) 70 72, E Rodriguez (Esp) 73 69, D Russell (Eng) 72 70; D O'Sullivan (Irl) 72 70;
143 J Chillas (Sco) 72 71; D Hospital (Esp) 76 67; I Woosnam (Wal) 76 67;
144 S Owen (Nzl) 71 73; D Good (Aus) 71 73; N Job (Eng) 71 73; D Cambridge (Jam) 73 71; G Cali (Ita) 69 75; D Merriman (Aus) 72 72;
145 T Giedeon (Ger) 73 72; J Bland (RSA) 72 73; L Carbonetti (Arg) 69 76; M Piñero (Esp) 71 74; J Sallat (Fra) 73 72; A Murray (Eng) 73 72; C Mason (Eng) 75 70;
146 G Encina (Chi) 75 71; T Charnley (Eng) 72 74; B Cameron (Eng) 72 74; T Gale (Aus) 75 71; S Lyle (Sco) 73 73; K Spurgeon (Eng) 74 72; B Charles (Nzl) 71 75; A Franco (Par) 74 72;
147 P Teravainen (USA) 77 70; B Heuchan (Can) 73 74; J Rhodes (Eng) 73 74; K Tomori (Jpn) 71 76.
148 L Higgins (Irl) 73 75; T Allen (Eng) 74 74; A Fernandez (Chi) 75 73; A Sowa (Arg) 72 76; G McGimpsey (Nir) (am) 75 73;
149 P O'Hagan (Irl) 74 75; R Drummond (Sco) 73 76; H Carbonetti (Arg) 74 75; J Benda (USA) 77 72; B Lincoln (RSA) 73 76; E Polland (Nir) 74 75; E McMenamin (Irl) (am) 74 75.
150 J Hall (Eng) 76 74; A Garrido (Esp) 73 77; E Darcy (Irl) 77 73; A Tapie (US) 67 83; T Price (Wal) 76 74; J Rivero (Esp) 74 76; M Gray (Sco) 80 70; J Hoskison (Eng) 73 77; I Mosey (Eng) 80 70; M Poxon (Eng) 75 75; S Ebihara (Jpn) 75 75.
151 M Bembridge (Eng) 77 74; S Ginn (Aus) 74 77; P Oakley (USA) 78 73; P Leonard (Nir) 77 74; T Johnstone (Zim) 74 77; J Heggarty (Nir) 76 75.
152 P Dugeny (Fra) 74 78; T Rastall (Eng) 73 79.
153 B Boyd (USA) 77 76; M Miller (Sco) 77 76.
154 V Smyth (am) (Irl) 77 77.
155 B Larratt (Eng) 74 81.
157 J Bruner (USA) 78 79.
165 G Hopkins (USA) 83 82.


I’m right back in it. If I can shoot another one of those tomorrow I’ve got a chance of winning it.”
SCOREBOARD TO COME