David Drysdale makes cut in South Africa

Dunbar's David Drysdale survived the halfway cut in the Dimension Data pro-am tournament at Gary Player Country Club, South Africa but he is 11 shots behind the runaway leader, South African Deane Pappas.
Pappas has scored 65 and 66 for a 13-under-par halfway tally of 131 and is five shots ahead of the second-placed Darren Fichardt (67-69).
Drysdale scored 70 and 72 for a share of 37th place on 142.
The other Scot in the field, Glasgow-born Alan McLean, failed by one shot to beat the cut. He scored 68 and 78 for 146.
LEADING SECOND ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
Players from South Africa unless stated
131 Deane Pappas 65 66.
136 Darren Fichardt 67 69.
137 Tyrone van Aswegen 66 71, Trevor Fisher jun 73 64,Neil Cheetham (Eng) 71 66
138 Lindani Ndwandwe 66 72, Keith Horne 66 782, Peter Karmis 69 69, Dawie Van der Walt 65 73, Jbe Kruger 70 68, Martin Maritz 65 73.
Scottish scores:
142 David Drysdale 70 72 (jt 37th).
MISSED THE CUT (145 or better qualified)
146 Alan McLean 68 78.

Louis Oostehuizen in action in today's second round over the Doha golf course.

Springbok Oosthuizen leaps past Coltart

into three-shot lead at Qatar Masters

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
South African Louis Oosthuizen leads former champion Andrew Coltart by three shots after the second round of the Commercialbank Qatar Masters Presented by Dolphin Energy.
With 1998 Qatar title-winner Coltart on nine under par 135 following a solid three under 69, Oosthuizen continued the form which saw the 26 year old narrowly miss out on a maiden European Tour title in Abu Dhabi last week with a sublime seven under 65 for 12-under-par 132.
After dropping just one bogey yesterday, Oosthuizen picked up a first shot at the 452 yard par four fifth before reaching the turn in a flourish with back to back birdies.
Earlier, joint overnight leader Coltart claimed the outright lead with a steady trip around Doha Golf Club in mild morning conditions.
"I'm pleased. There is always a question whether you can follow up a low round and I think I managed it," said the 38 year old Scot.
"I think if you go around that course and shoot under par you have done really well and off the back of the 66 I was really proud of it."
Coltart grabbed his first birdie with a ten foot putt at the eighth before another followed to start the back nine after two putting the par five.
A three putt a hole later accounted for his only bogey, but a chip in three at the 12th pushed him back to two under before a up and down at 16 brought the Scot home.
He added: "There were some scrappy moments, it is the type of game you cannot play the same one day to a next, but I got the job done with a couple of nice chips, a couple of nice pitches and a couple of nice putts and three under I'm happy with.
"It was by no means the perfect round of golf, but I am delighted to shoot under par."
Big hitting Portugal Masters champion Alvaro Quiros leapt up the leaderboard and into third place at eight under with a five under 67 which included seven birdies from the young Spaniard.
Quiros' round was helped by a hat-trick of birdies to finish, although he was fortunate his attempted lay-up at the last rebounded off a rock and only landed in semi-rough.
"I was playing well last week and didn't have any luck," said the 26 year old.
"Yesterday I played good again and I didn't have any luck either so today was the day.
"I'm working well and putting good, sometimes with luck and sometimes without and that is the difference between a good score and a bad score."
Quiros was joined by Australian Brett Rumford, while overnight joint leader Miguel Angel Jiménez was unable to build on his bogey free first round but was satisfied with a 71 which left him fifth and a shot clear of another overnight joint leader Henrik Stenson, Chapchai Nirat, Maarten Lafeber, Damien McGrane, Paul Broadhurst and Sportsbet Australian Masters champion Rod Pampling.
Last week's winner, Paul Casey, failed to get under the qualifying mark of level par 144. Neither did the two incomers from the US PGA Tour, Ryder Cup player Boo Weekley (147) and Brandt Snedecker (145).
SCOTSWATCH (from Colin Farquharson)
Colin Montgomerie failed to beat the cut with a second-round 75 for 146. Perhaps he had other things on his mind.
After Coltart in the Scottish hit parade was the consistent Stephen Gallacher with scores of 72 and 69 for 141.
Paul Lawrie made it safely with 72 and 71 for 143 but Alastair Forsyth failed by one shot with 75 and 70 for 145.
Gary Orr missed out by eight shots with 78 and 74 for 152.
Scott Drummond was another Scottish "casualty" on 147.
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE HALFWAY SCOREBOARD

Olazabal for 2010 Ryder Cup captain?

No comment, says Monty after a 75

FROM THE A O L GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Colin Montgomerie refused to comment on Jose Maria Olazabal's decision to put himself forward for the 2010 Ryder Cup captaincy.
Montgomerie, 45, only emerged as the front runner to lead Europe's bid to reclaim the coveted trophy at Celtic Manor last week after previously indicating he wanted to play in Wales and wait until Gleneagles in 2014 to be captain.
"I'm not saying anything significant (on Friday) to anyone," said Montgomerie after carding a second-round 75 at the Qatar Masters. "I will see you next week and I look forward to it."
On Thursday Olazabal's manager told PA Sport the 42-year-old Spaniard, who was Nick Faldo's assistant last year at Valhalla, is available and would accept the role despite also hoping to qualify as a player.
Europe's tournament committee, of which Montgomerie is a member, are expected to make a decision on Wednesday in Dubai.
Two-time Masters champion Olazabal and Montgomerie are the clear front runners with Sandy Lyle and 2006 captain Ian Woosnam believed to be outside contenders.
Olazabal's chances of being named as a player have diminished due to injuries which have plagued him in recent years and forced him out of this week's event, although he is expected to play in the Dubai Desert Classic, which starts on Thursday.
Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez endorsed Olazabal's decision, but remained tight lipped as he is also a member of the tournament committee.
"I think it would be very nice if Jose got the job. Olazabal showed what he can give to the team last year, but anyone would be very good," Jimenez said.
"I don't want to say who I think should be captain, we will have to wait until next week."

European Tour Scoreboard
COMMERCIALBANK QATAR MASTERS
Presented by Dolphin Energy
Doha Golf Club, Doha, Qatar
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
132 Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 67 65
135 Andrew Coltart 66 69
136 Brett Rumford (Aus) 67 69, Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 69 67
137 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 66 71
138 Rodney Pampling (Aus) 70 68, Damien McGrane 69 69, Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 69 69, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 68 70, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 66 72, Paul Broadhurst 68 70
139 Anders Hansen (Den) 67 72, Ross McGowan 73 66, Johan Edfors (Swe) 72 67, Andrew McLardy (Rsa) 70 69
140 Sergio Garcia (Spa) 70 70, Robert Dinwiddie 67 73, Nick Dougherty 68 72, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 69 71, Anthony Wall 70 70, Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 68 72, Robert Karlsson (Swe) 68 72, Richard Finch 73 67, Lee Westwood 67 73
141 Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 69 72, Magnus A Carlsson (Swe) 70 71, Peter Hanson (Swe) 72 69, Stephen Gallacher 72 69, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 70 71, Ernie Els (Rsa) 70 71, Markus Brier (Aut) 70 71, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa) 69 72, Thomas Levet (Fra) 71 70, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 71 70, Bradley Dredge 74 67
142 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 70 72, Francesco Molinari (Ita) 72 70, Hennie Otto (Rsa) 73 69, Ross Fisher 71 71, Mikko Ilonen (Fin) 71 71, Oliver Wilson 69 73, David Howell 71 71, Simon Dyson 72 70, Gary Murphy 71 71, Stephen Dodd 70 72, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 69 73
143 Mikael Lundberg (Swe) 72 71, Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 71 72, Steve Webster 72 71, Adam Scott (Aus) 73 70, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 68 75, Soren Hansen (Den) 72 71, Scott Strange (Aus) 72 71, Joakim Haeggman (Swe) 73 70, Marcel Siem (Ger) 72 71, Martin Kaymer (Ger) 71 72, Alexander Noren (Swe) 72 71, Paul Lawrie 72 71, Thomas Bjorn (Den) 70 73, Jamie Donaldson 70 73
144 Alvaro Velasco (Spa) 76 68, Danny Willett 73 71, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 73 71, Graeme Storm 72 72, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 73 71, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 71 73, Rory McIlroy 76 68, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 71 73, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 73 71
MISSED THE CUT
145 David Lynn 70 75, Mark Brown (USA) 72 73, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 75 70, Seve Benson 70 75, Paul Casey 76 69, Rolf Muntz (Ned) 72 73, Alastair Forsyth 75 70, Phillip Archer 71 74, Richard Green (Aus) 73 72, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 74 71, Mark Foster 73 72, Brandt Snedeker (USA) 72 73, Gregory Havret (Fra) 71 74
146 Christian Cevaer (Fra) 77 69, Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 72 74, James Kingston (Rsa) 74 72, Colin Montgomerie 71 75, Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 75 71, Darren Clarke 73 73, Oliver Fisher 71 75, Justin Rose 74 72, David Dixon 70 76, Prayad Marksaeng (Tha) 72 74
147 Anton Haig (Rsa) 71 76, Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 72 75, Per-Ulrik Johansson (Swe) 74 73, Pelle Edberg (Swe) 74 73, Scott Drummond 75 72, Peter Lawrie 72 75, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 76 71, Boo Weekley (USA) 74 73
148 Shiv Kapur (Ind) 72 76, Paul McGinley 76 72
149 Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 74 75, Lee Slattery 75 74, Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia (Ind) 75 74, John Bickerton 73 76, Kenneth Ferrie 75 74
150 Daniel Vancsik (Arg) 74 76, Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 76 74, Rafael Echenique (Arg) 77 73, Simon Wakefield 78 72
151 Ariel Canete (Arg) 77 74, Simon Hurd 77 74
152 Gary Orr 78 74
153 Michael Jonzon (Swe) 76 77
154 Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 71 83
155 Miles Tunnicliff 78 77
160 Max Williams 81 79

Ayrshire exile Speirs now leading Scot in Aussie tournament

Gordon Yates (80) misses

halfway cut in Lake

Macquarie International

Scots Ross Kellett (Caprington) and Gordon Yates (Hilton Park) had contrasting fortunes in the very hot conditions today for the second round of the Lake Macquarie International men's amateur stroke-play tournament at Belmont Golf Club, New South Wales.

Ross had a fine round of three-under-par 69, which represented a seven-shot improvement over his first-day effort.

A halfway total of 145 (tied 44th position) saw him beat the cut which decreed that only those players in the field of 190 with 36-hole tallies of 148 or better would go through to the weekend's last two rounds.

Gordon Yates, definitely in the title picture with an opening round of 70, dropped down the field and out of the tournament with a second-round 80 for 150: two shots too many to beat the cut.

Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn) also failed to qualify with scores of 78 and 80 for 158.

The leading Scot in the tournament going into the third round is Ayrshire exile Stephen Speirs (pictured above) with scorfes of 74 and 68 for 142 and a share of 20th place.

Overnight leader Australian Matt Jager dropped back but rounds of 67 and 74 for 141 kept him in the mix.

Another Aussie, Robert Payne, revelled in the heat with a 66 to add to his first-round 66 and with a two-round total of nine-under-par 135, he opened up a two-shot lead over Swiss player Arthur Gabella-Wenne who added a 65 to his first-day 72.

LEADING HALFWAY TOTALS

Par 144 (2 x 72)

Players from Australia unless stated

135 Robert Payne 69 66.

137 Arthur Gabella-Wenne (Swi) 72 65.

138 Charles Ford (Eng) 68 70, Brendon Smtih 69 69.

139 Ryan McCarthy 71 659, Nick Gillespie (NZ) 70 69, Michael Smyth 70 69, Joshua Boz 69 70.

140 Scott Arnold 71 69, Rhys McGovern 70 70, Jordan Zunic 69 71, Dimitrios Papadatos 68 72, Brody Ninyette 70 70.

Selected scores:

141 Matt Jager 67 74.

142 Stephen Speirs (Sco) 74 69 (jt 20th), Alexandre Kaleka (Fra) 72 70.

143 Jason Palmer (Eng) 75 659.

145 Ross Kellett (Sco) 76 69 (jt 44th).

MISSED THE CUT (148 OR BETTER)

150 Gordon Yates (Sco) 70 80.

158 Fraser Fotheringham (Sco) 78 80.

Special Masters invitation to 17-year-old

rising Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa

Japanese teenage golf sensation Ryo Ishikawa has been issued a special invitation to play in the 2009 Masters, Augusta National Golf Club chairman Billy Payne announced yesterday.
The 17-year-old prodigy will become the youngest professional and second-youngest competitor in Masters history when he tees off in the year’s first major on April 9 at 17 years, six months and 23 days.
American Tommy Jacobs, who was only one month and 21 days past his 17th birthday when he played in the 1952 event as an amateur, is the only younger player in Masters history.
“At a young age, Mr. Ishikawa has shown the skill and competitiveness to make him a deserving recipient of this invitation,” Payne said. “We see this as an opportunity to expose an emerging talent on a world stage.
“I am optimistic that his participation in the Masters will inspire younger players and increase interest in golf in Asia and beyond.”
Ishikawa won the 2007 KSB Cup as a 15-year-old amateur, becoming the youngest winner of any event on any world golf rankings-recognized tour. He turned professional last year and won two Japan Tour events.
Ishikawa and 88 others are expected to compete in the Masters, with others still able to qualify by winning a PGA Tour event or reaching to world top 50 in the rankings released in the week before the Masters.

Spey Valley, Aviemore to stage Challenge

Tour event from July 30 to August 2

The only event of the 2009 European Challenge Tour to be held in Scotland will be the "Scottish Challenge" over the Dave Thomas-designed Spey Valley course at Aviemore from Thursday to Sunday, July 30 to August 2.

Pat Perez sets US PGA Tour record

for lowest 36-hole total of 20-under

Pat Perez continued his impressive form at the Bob Hope Classic where he returned a second consecutive bogey-free round to take a two-shot lead at halfway and in the process establish a US PGA record.
The man from Phoenix, Arizona, followed up his first-round 61 at the Palmer course at PGA West in California with a nine-under 63 on the Nicklaus course to move to 20-under and open up a two-shot lead over Briny Baird with the lowest 36-hole total at a tournament, improving by a stroke a record that was shared by five men including Tiger Woods.
"I've played two unbelievable rounds and I'm very happy where I'm at, but it doesn't really mean anything," Perez said. "It means you can get hot for two days. I would like to have all kind of records at the end of the week. I would really love to be sitting here late Sunday. So that's the goal. It's not really a dream, a dream would have been actually shooting in the 50s yesterday [in the first round], like I wanted to."
Perez, who has never won on the US PGA Tour, reeled off 19 birdies and an eagle in his first 36 holes, and that included a sizzling 28 over his first nine on Wednesday. And the 32-year-old made another excellent start in his second round, making birdies on five of his first eight holes before adding four more on the back nine.
Baird, meanwhile, recorded a hole-in-one at the seventh en route to his second successive 63. "I knew it was perfect when I hit it, even though I thinned it, because it was just going to be a baby nine-iron," he said. "It took one skip, went behind the hole and spun back into the hole. It's fun to watch."
Mike Weir, the 2003 Masters champion, started the day one shot off the lead but stumbled to a two-under 70. DJ Trahan, looking to become only the second man to defend the title, returned a 67 and is in the group that includes the Canadian left-hander.
Johnny Miller claimed back-to-back titles in 1975 and 1976.

US PGA Tour Scoreboard
BOB HOPE CHRYSLER CLASSIC
Second-round totals
Par 144 (2 x 72)
PGA West Nicklaus Course
124 Pat Perez 61 63
126 Briny Baird 63 63
129 Brad Adamonis 67 62, Derek Fathauer 65 64, Steve Elkington (Aus) 65 64
130 Chris Couch 67 63
131 Bo Van Pelt 66 65, Bubba Watson 62 69
132 Robert Garrigus 67 65, Mike Weir (Can) 62 70, Steve Lowery 67 65, Scott Piercy 66 66, Mark Wilson 66 66
133 Jeff Maggert 66 67, Lucas Glover 65 68
134 Nathan Green (Aus) 69 65, Olin Browne 66 68, Stephen Ames (Can) 71 63
135 Ryan Palmer 70 65, Martin Laird (Sco) 67 68, Mark Brooks 69 66, Alex Cejka (Ger) 68 67
136 Will MacKenzie 70 66, Jason Bohn 66 70
137 Eric Axley 69 68
138 Greg Owen (Eng) 69 69
139 Dustin Johnson 68 71
141 Daniel Chopra (Swe) 72 69
142 Gary Woodland 72 70
143 Peter Tomasulo 73 70, Troy Kelly 73 70, Wes Short jun 72 71
At Bermuda Dunes GC
128 Chris Stroud 65 63, Jason Dufner 63 65
131 Rich Beem 66 65
132 David Mathis 66 66, D.J. Trahan 65 67
133 Matt Kuchar 66 67, Glen Day 65 68, John Mallinger 66 67
134 Jeff Klauk 67 67, Michael Letzig 66 68, Webb Simpson 68 66
135 Charlie Wi (Kor) 68 67, Bill Lunde 67 68, Brian Gay 65 70
136 Ken Duke 68 68
137 Chad Campbell 66 71, John Senden (Aus) 67 70
138 Charley Hoffman 72 66, Mark Calcavecchia 68 70, Jason Gore 70 68
139 Kevin Na 70 69, Justin Leonard 72 67, Corey Pavin 71 68
140 Robert Gamez 70 70
141 Tommy Armour III 70 71
142 Mike Miles 70 72, Harrison Frazar 72 70
144 Brian Davis (Eng) 72 72, James Oh (Kor) 71 73
145 Lee Janzen 74 71, Jesper Parnevik (Swe) 72 73
149 Brad Faxon 77 72
Silver Rock
130 Vaughn Taylor 63 67
132 Steve Stricker 65 67
133 John Merrick 68 65, David Toms 68 65
134 Steve Marino 65 69
135 Bob Estes 66 69, Casey Wittenberg 69 66, Steve Flesch 68 67, Billy Mayfair 68 67, Cameron Beckman 68 67, Tim Clark (Rsa) 66 69
136 Kirk Triplett 67 69
137 Jerry Kelly 66 71, D.A. Points 71 66, Nick Watney 66 71, Colt Knost 69 68, Jeff Quinney 71 66, Tim Petrovic 68 69, Bobby Clampett 70 67
138 Dean Wilson 67 71
139 Billy Andrade 68 71, Michael Allen 68 71, John Huston 69 70
140 Greg Chalmers (Aus) 69 71, Scott Verplank 69 71, Fred Couples 68 72
141 James Nitties (Aus) 73 68
142 Jarrod Lyle (Aus) 71 71
143 Joe Ogilvie 70 73, Donnie Hammond 72 71
144 John Rollins 71 73
148 Kris Blanks 70 78
PGA West Palmer Course
127 David Berganio jun 63 64
128 Richard S Johnson (Swe) 63 65, Tom Pernice jun 65 63
131 Kevin Sutherland 64 67, Cliff Kresge 68 63
132 Chris DiMarco 64 68, Ryuji Imada (Jpn) 67 65, Heath Slocum 65 67, Chez Reavie 66 66, Peter Lonard (Aus) 65 67
133 Ben Crane 63 70
134 Scott McCarron 66 68, Woody Austin 66 68, Rick Price 64 70
136 Bill Haas 68 68, Brett Quigley 68 68, Mathew Goggin (Aus) 66 70, David Duval 68 68, Todd Hamilton 65 71, Nicholas Thompson 66 70
137 Brendon De Jonge 67 70, Johnson Wagner 70 67, Tim Wilkinson (Nzl) 65 72
138 Brian Bateman 68 70
139 Joe Durant 73 66
140 Matthew Borchert 69 71, Jonathan Byrd 70 70
141 Bart Bryant 70 71, Notah Begay III 69 72
142 Matt Bettencourt 65 77
143 Tim Herron 71 72
145 Ryan Moore 68 77