LUKE GUTHRIE LEADS HONDA CLASSIC ON THE DAY RORY WALKED OFF

 FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE

PGATOUR.COM wire reports

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Florida -- Rory McIlroy left before his round was even over. Tiger Woods had to rally just to stick around.

And with all that drama Friday in The Honda Classic, hardly anyone noticed that Luke Guthrie showed off his potential in a big way with a 7-under 63 to take a one-shot lead going into the weekend at PGA National.  
Guthrie, pegged by many of his peers as a rookie worth watching going into the year, played bogey-free on another cool, cloudy day.
Of his seven birdies, perhaps the most impressive for the Big Ten Conference champion from Illinois came on the sixth hole when he had mud on the side of his ball and was able to work the shot in from the right to about 10 feet.
After finishing his round, he walked into an interview room when someone mentioned that McIlroy walked off the course after being 7-over par through eight holes.
"I had no clue," Guthrie said. "I was just kind of going about my business out there."
He was at 9-under 131 and had a one-shot lead over Michael Thompson.
McIlroy, who missed the cut in Abu Dhabi and lost in the first round of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in his previous two starts, made a double bogey on his second hole and rinsed two balls in the water on the 16th hole on his way to a triple bogey.
He hit his approach to the 18th in the water and never finished the hole.
McIlroy released a statement through his management company that he couldn't concentrate because of a sore wisdom tooth.
"I sincerely apologise to The Honda Classic and PGA TOUR for my sudden withdrawal," McIlroy said in a statement after leaving the course. 
"I have been suffering with a sore wisdom tooth, which is due to come out in the near future. It began bothering me again last night, so I relieved it with Advil. It was very painful again this morning, and I was simply unable to concentrate."
Woods looked as if he might join him. After mixing birdies with bogeys, Woods went bunker-to-bunker, over the green, short of the green and wound up with a double bogey on the 13th hole that put him one shot under the cut line with five holes to play.
Instead of the second straight week when No. 1 and No. 2 were gone early, Woods answered with a shot into 5 feet for birdie, a 6-foot par putt on the 16th hole, a par save from the back bunker on the 17th that was easier than it looked, and a par save from near the grandstand by the 18th green that was harder than it looked.
He wound up with another 70 to make the cut on the number, nine shots out of the lead.
"I didn't quite have my game like I did yesterday," Woods said. "I hit it much better yesterday, but I putted better today, so it all evened out."
Camilo Villegas joined a dubious list of US PGA Tour players who went from first to missing the cut. Villegas, playing primarily on sponsor exemptions this year because he lost his full status, openedwith a 64 for his best start in more than a year.
The Colombian was 13 shots worse on Friday in a round of 77. The last player to do that was Jim Renner at the Travelers Championship in 2011.
Thompson had a 65 and will play in the final group with Guthrie, the first time all year the PGA TOUR will have twosomes on the weekend.
Boo Weekley held it together for another day and shot 67 to finish two shots behind at 133, along with Graham DeLaet of Canada.
Behind them was an impressive collection of players.
Geoff Ogilvy finally began holing some putts and shot 66 to go into the weekend three shots behind, along with Lee Westwood (68), Charles Howell III (67), Sean O'Hair (68) and Justin Rose (66). Ogilvy had not made a cut in his past four tournaments, dating to his season opener in the California desert.
"The worst I've hit the ball was today," he said. "You chip in, hole a couple of long putts ... it's amazing how different it is when you hole good putts."
This is a big weekend for the likes of Ogilvy and Howell, neither of whom is in the Masters. They have to win or move into the top 50 by the end of the month.
For players such as Guthrie, Thompson, DeLaet and Weekley, they are too far down in the ranking that only a win would get them down Magnolia Lane.
The road to the Masters suddenly looks like an uphill climb for McIlroy.
Nike introduced him with blaring music and a laser show in Abu Dhabi, but it's been all downhill from there.
In three tournaments, he has missed the cut in Abu Dhabi, lost in the first round of the Accenture Match Play Championship and withdrew after 26 holes at PGA National.
"His demeanour looks a little different," said Graeme McDowell, one of his best friends. "I felt like he was a little off with his golf swing on the range. There were a few moans and groans coming from the bay next to me. 
"It's normally a display. It's normally a clinic. It's superlatives coming from the coach and the caddie. That's the sign of a guy who's lacking a little technique in his swing and a little belief in his game."
Luke Guthrie and Michael Thompson, not two of the best known Americans on the US PGA Tour, are leading the field coming up to the end of the second round of the Honda Classic.
Guthrie is on 131 with scores of 68 and 63, Thompson on 132 (67-65).
Lee Westwood is on 134 (66-68)

HALFWAY LEADERBOARD
Par 140 (2x70)
Players from USA unless stated
131 Luke Guthrie 68 63
132 Michael Thompson 67 65
133 Boo Weekley 66 67, Graham DeLaet (Canada) 65 68
134 Lee Westwood (England) 66 68, Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) 68 66, Doug La Belle 66 68, Charles Howell 67 67, Sean O'Hair 66 68, Justin Rose (England) 68 66
135 Graeme McDowell (N Ireland) 67 68, Robert Streb 65 70, Brian Stuard 66 69, Nicholas Thompson 69 66, Lucas Glover 69 66, Tom Gillis 67 68, Billy Horschel 66 69.

SELECTED SCORES 
137 Ross Fisher (England) 71 66, Martin Kaymer (Germany) 71 66 (T24).
139 Jamie Donaldson (Wales) 73 66 (T43)
140 David Lynn (England) 72 69, Tiger Woods 70 70 (T65)

MISSED THE CUT (140 and better qualified)  
141 Camilo Villegas (Colombie) 64 77
144 Martin Laird (Scotland) 71 73
145 Louis Oosthuizen (S Africa) 69 76
146 Greg Owen (England) 73 73
155 Paul Casey (England) 78 77 
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ENGLAND TRIO IN LAST EIGHT OF SPANISH AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Jordan Smith will play Neil Raymond in an all-England quarter-final in the Spanish men's international amateur championship at La Manga, Spain on Saturday morning.
Jamie Rutherford (England) will play Ireland's Reeve Whitson in another quarter-final in the lower half of the draw.

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WALK-OFF McILROY BLAMES TOOTACHE FOR AFTER MEDIOCRE PLAY AT HONDAR CLASSIC

              No smiles from Rory McIlroy after his sudden retirement from the Honda Classic
 
  FROM THE BBC SPORTS.COM WEBSITE

World number one Rory McIlroy walked off the course after completing just eight holes of his second round at the Honda Classic in Florida.

The defending champion withdrew after hitting his second shot into the water on the 18th - his ninth - and slumping to seven over par for the day.
As he left, McIlroy told journalists he was not in a good frame of mind.
He later released a statement citing a painful wisdom tooth as the reason behind his withdrawal.
"I have been suffering with a sore wisdom tooth, which is due to come out in the near future," he said.
"It was very painful again this morning, and I was simply unable to concentrate. It was really bothering me and had begun to affect my playing partners.
"I came here with every intention of defending my Honda Classic title. Even though my results haven't revealed it, I really felt like I was turning a corner."
BBC Sport's Iain Carter, who is at Palm Beach Gardens, said McIlroy briefly spoke to journalists as he left the car park.
"At the ninth he picked up his ball, shook hands with his playing partners and went straight to the car park, driving off saying in his only comment that he is not in a good place mentally," said Carter.

KATY McNICOLL JUST MISSES MONEY IN SPAIN

For the second week in a row, Carnoustie's Katy McNicoll finished just outside the money in the Spanish Evolve Tour event at El Valle Golf Club, Murcia.She finished joint eighth in a field of 34 players after a joint seventh finish in the previous event. McNicoll, playing off slightly forward tees compared with her male rivals, shot 73-78 for 151 - 12 shots behind Germany's Florian Fritsch, a prolific winner on this mini-tour.Fritsch had rounds of 68-71 for three-under-par 139. He won by three shots from England's William Harrold (72-72) with France's Christian Cevaer, a former British youths champion. Cevaer had a pair of 72s.Gavin Dear from Murrayshall had scores of 80 and 76 for a share of 16th place on 156.

RORY McILROY WALKS OFF AFTER CHAPTER OF ERRORS IN HONDA CLASSIC

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE

Defending champion Rory McIlroy today pulled out of the Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens after making a wretched start to his second round.

The world No 1 Northern Irishman began on the back nine and played his opening eight holes of the round in seven over par.

He then found the water at the 18th - his ninth hole - and immediately quit the tournament, the US PGA Tour announced.

McIlroy had a level-par 70 yesterday, but was set to miss the cut after his flurry of dropped shots before deciding enough was enough.

He had double-bogeyed the 11th, taken a 7 at the par-four 16th, and also given shots away at the 13th and 17th holes.

The 23-year-old has struggled to rediscover the form that has elevated him to the top of the world rankings so far in 2013, highlighted by his first-round exit at the Accenture Match Play Championship to Ireland's Shane Lowry last week.
He signed a lucrative sponsorship deal with Nike last month and his performances with the manufacturer's clubs have been below expectations.
McIlroy also missed the cut at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship by four shots last month.
The US PGA Tour reported on its website it was the first time McIlroy had ever withdrawn during a tournament.
Speaking after his steady opening round, McIlroy admitted he was struggling with his game.
He said: "It's hard to commit to the shot that you need to play every time. I felt like I hit the ball okay, not as good as I can, but it's getting there."
The link between McIlroy's slump in form and his new clubs has already been speculated on, but he has dismissed concerns about distance control.
"Distance control has actually been one of the easiest things to get adjusted to," McIlroy said yesterday.
"I hit a couple out there that went a little further than I expected. I don't know if they just got up in the wind or whatever, but I hit a wedge on the eighth hole, which I felt like it went a long way, pitched 10 yards over the pin. But you know, apart from that, it feels pretty good."
.

CHARL COETZEE LEADING WHEN LIGHTNIN HALTS TSHWANE OPEN

NEWS RELEASE FROM EUROPEAN TOUR
COMMUNICATIONS 

Charl Coetzee shone brightest on day two at the South African Tshwane Open after a seven under par 65 saw him lead by a stroke when play was halted late on Friday afternoon due to the threat of lightning.

The Cape Town resident was in sublime form at Copperleaf Golf and Country Estate, in Centurion, thanks to seven birdies and no dropped shots, which at one point gave the South African a four stroke advantage at 12 under par.

“I enjoyed it,” explained Coetzee. “I haven’t had this much fun in a long time. It’s always nice to play well and it goes both ways, the better you play, the more you enjoy it.

“I hit the ball nicely and hit a lot of fairways. I also made a lot of greens and made a lot of putts, and that was the key.”

Having dominated the morning’s action it was left to those teeing off later in the day to play catch up, and Chile’s Mark Tullo did just that thanks to a round of 66 to finish a stroke back from Coetzee.

Dawie van der Walt is also on 11 under par, but unlike Tullo he still has four holes left to catch his fellow South African when play resumes tomorrow at 6.45am local time on Saturday morning.

Former US Amateur Champion Peter Uihlein is in fourth place having posted a 66 to lie on ten under par, while overnight leader Darren Fichardt, who has two holes left to play, is in a tie for sixth on eight under.

HISTORY-MAKING SOUTH AFRICAN TITLE WINNER - ONLY 16

Thriston Lawrence beat Andrew Light by 9 and 8 in an all-South African 36-hole final to the South African men's amateur match-play golf championship at Johannesburg Country Club today. Lawrence, who was five up after 18 holes, is the youngest ever winner in the championship first played in 1906. Light beat Ewan Scott in yesterday's semi-final stage.

CHALLENGE TOUR RETURNS TO NORTHERN IRELAND IN AUGUST

NEWS RELEASE

The European Challenge Tour will return to Northern Irish shores for the first time in ten years when Galgorm Castle Golf Club, Ballymena, hosts the Northern Ireland Open Challenge from August 29 - September 1.

Michael Hoey, a four-time winner on The European Tour, will headline the field at the Country Antrim venue, hoping to add to his trophy haul, having also won three times on the Challenge Tour.

Hoey has since played a part in Northern Ireland’s incredible story in world golf alongside current World Number One Rory McIlroy, 2011 Open Champion Darren Clarke and 2010 US Open Champion Graeme McDowell, while the staging of the Irish Open at Royal Portrush Golf Club in 2012 proved an unprecedented success.

The €170,000 Northern Ireland Open Challenge presents an opportunity for the next generation to follow in the footsteps of those superstars and begin their path to The European Tour.

It is the first time Galgorm Castle, one of the country’s premier parkland courses set in the spectacular surrounds of an historical estate, will host a Challenge Tour event.

Gary Henry, General Manager of Galgorm Castle, said: “We are expecting big crowds at Galgorm Castle to see some of Europe’s top young players and some of the more established names as well as some top quality home grown talent.

“The excitement is already building ahead of the tournament and, with the support of the people of Northern Ireland, we plan to make this one of the most exhilarating events on the Challenge Tour’s international schedule.”

Alain de Soultrait, Director of the Challenge Tour, said: “We are delighted to bring the Challenge Tour back to Northern Ireland, a country which has experienced such great success on the world golfing stage recently and which produced record crowds at last year’s Irish Open.

“Galgorm Castle provides a superb venue which is fitting of a tournament of this stature and we are sure that in the coming years this will grow to become one of the premier events on the Challenge Tour schedule, creating more and more opportunities for talented young golfers throughout Ireland.

“We must thank everyone at Galgorm Castle for their commitment, enthusiasm and determination in making this tournament happen.”

Hoey, whose biggest win came at the 2011 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, said: “I am deeply honoured to be the ambassador for the new Challenge Tour event at Galgorm Castle.

“The Challenge Tour was a hugely important part of my early career and has helped me develop into the player I am today. By hosting an event in Northern Ireland, Galgorm Castle Golf Club is contributing to the development of the next generation of Irish golfers and I am delighted to be able to play a part in the tournament.”

Hoey claimed a top 15 finish the last time Northern Ireland hosted a Challenge Tour event in 2003, when Clarke emerged victorious three weeks after his famous victory at the WGC - Bridgestone Invitational, while another Open Champion – the winner at St Andrews in 2010, Louis Oosthuizen - finished tied 12^th.

ENDS

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE R AND A

 
STATEMENT ON THE PROPOSED RULE CHANGE BANNING ANCHORED STROKES

March 1, 2013, St Andrews: The R&A is considering the submissions it has received from individuals and organisations regarding the proposed change to the Rules of Golf that would prohibit the anchoring of the club in making a stroke.
The 90-day period where parties were invited to comment on the proposed Rule 14-1b has ended.
A spokesman for The R&A said, “Anchoring has been a polarising issue in our sport and despite having weighed the matter thoroughly before making the proposal, we believed it was important to give stakeholders in the game the opportunity to air their views. Our consultation period has generated a number of considered responses which have continued to arrive right up to the deadline. We appreciate those responses and will take time to review and evaluate them.
"We note that this matter has proved particularly sensitive in the United States, while the proposed Rule change has been received more favourably across the international golfing community. As we have throughout this process, we will work closely with the USGA in moving towards a final resolution."

(In the context of this statement, The R&A refers to R&A Rules Ltd)

FOUR ASIANS WIN PLACES IN OPEN AT MUIRFIELD IN JULY

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE ASIAN TOUR

Chonburi, Thailand: Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Hideki Matsuyama, Daisuke Maruyama and Wu Ashun earned dream debuts at the Open Championship in July after making the grade at the International Final Qualifying – Asia on Friday. 
Editor's Note: James Byrne from Banchory, the Northern Open champion, shot a second-round 76 to finish T51 on two-over-par 146.

Thai rising star Kiradech topped the two-day qualifying with a flawless nine-under-par 63 while Japanese amateur Matsuyama, a two-time Asia Pacific Amateur Championship winner, finished four shots back following a 69 at the Amata Spring Country Club.

Another Japanese Maruyama and China’s Wu closed with a 65 and 68 respectively for tied third to clinch the final tickets to the Open Championship. Overnight leader Siddikur agonisingly missed out on the top-four spots after sending his tee shot into the water on the par three 17 for a double bogey.

Kiradech, nicknamed ‘Asia’s John Daly’ for his grip-it and rip-it style of play, turned in an impressive 30 and added three further birdies to join countrymen Thaworn Wiratchant and Thongchai Jaidee at Muirfield from July 18 to 21.

“I’m glad I achieved my first dream in golf which is to play in a Major championship. I want to do my best at The Open. It will be the biggest challenge and event in my life,” said the 23-year-old, who totalled 13-under-par 131.

“I’ve definitely improved a lot while playing on the Asian Tour. I’ve gained a lot of experience through the years and earning an appearance in a Major show just how far my career has gone,” added Kiradech.

Highly rated Matsuyama, who dropped six shots in the last three holes last year, overcame a bogey on 16 and a double bogey on 17 with a birdie at the last to qualify for his first Open Championship. It will be his third appearance in a Major tournament after playing in The Masters in 2011 and 2012.

“I’m excited and happy because I made it. After 16 and 17, I told myself to calm down which I did. I’m glad with the way I handled myself out there. This is my first appearance at The Open and I can’t wait for it.

“I gained a lot of experience when I played in The Masters and it improved my game and maturity. I’m sure I’ll become even better after playing in The Open,” smiled the 21-year-old, who won one professional victory in Japan as an amateur.

Maruyama, a two-time Asian Tour winner, made an impressive charge up the leaderboard with a round of eight birdies and one bogey to qualify for his first ever Major championship.

“My goal was to shoot seven-under and I hit that target! I turn 42 soon and I told myself that I need to qualify for The Open before I hang up my clubs. I’m really proud with my achievement today,” said Maruyama, who turns 42 on March 16.

After dropping a double bogey on nine, Wu made a relentless homeward nine charge as he returned with four birdies to become the second Chinese player after Liang Wen-chong to play in the Open Championship.

“I played very well especially on my back nine. I’m very happy with my performance. Everybody wants to play in The Open including me. I told my coach last month that I dreamt of qualifying for The Open and it came true!” said Wu, who played on the Asian Tour in 2008 and 2009.

Scores after round 2 of the IFQ Asia 2013 being played at the par 72, 7419 Yards Amata Spring CC course (a- denotes amateur):

131 - Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) 68-63.

135 - Hideki MATSUYAMA (am, JPN) 66-69.

136 - Daisuke MARUYAMA (JPN) 71-65, WU Ashun (CHN) 68-68.

138 - Javi COLOMO (ESP) 71-67, Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) 71-67, Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) 74-64, Rory HIE (INA) 68-70.

139 - Niall TURNER (IRL) 71-68, Prom MEESAWAT (THA) 70-69, Yuta IKEDA (JPN) 69-70, Scott HEND (AUS) 69-70, Arnond VONGVANIJ (THA) 69-70, Berry HENSON (USA) 68-71, Prayad MARKSAENG (THA) 68-71,  SIDDIKUR (BAN) 66-73.

140 - Kodai ICHIHARA (JPN) 72-68, Kalle SAMOOJA (FIN) 69-71, KIM Hyung-sung (KOR) 68-72, Anthony KANG (USA) 68-72, Scott BARR (AUS) 67-73, HU Mu (CHN) 67-73.

141 - Miguel TABUENA (PHI) 72-69, LAM Chih Bing (SIN) 71-70, PARK Ju-hyuk (KOR) 71-70, Anirban LAHIRI (IND) 73-68, PAN Cheng-tsung (am, TPE) 68-73.

SELECTED TOTAL
146 James Byrne (Scotland) 70 76 (T51) 

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Ends.

 

VILLEGAS SETS PACE WITH IN HONDA CLASSIC

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
PGATOUR.COM wire reports
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Florida-- With one bold swing, Camilo Villegas turned a solid round at The Honda Classic into his lowest start in more than a year. He shot a six-under-par 64 t0 lead by one at the end of the opening day.

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Leaderboard

Branden Grace was bullish when it came to the Bear Trap by making birdie on all three holes of the notorious stretch late on the back nine. He made it four in a row with a birdie on the 18th hole and was at 65 with Rickie Fowler, Graham DeLaet of Canada and Robert Streb.
Defending champion Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods each opened with 70 and walked away feeling much differently about their day.
Woods played in the cool, cloudy morning and was in danger of a big number late in his round when he decided to take off his socks and shoes, don rain pants and step into a creek to play a shot half-submerged in the water. Instead of taking a drop that could have led to double bogey, he escaped with par and rallied for a 70.
"I wasn't trying to advance it very far, just make sure I got it back in the fairway and give myself some kind of wedge shot in there, which I did," Woods said.
McIlroy was 1 under for his day when his wedge from 105 yards sailed over the green, he chipped to just inside 8 feet and took bogey when he missed the putt. It felt even worse coming on the easiest hole at PGA National, which played about a half-shot below par.
"I only had 105 yards in for my third shot and ended up taking a 6," McIlroy said. "Wasn't the nicest way to finish. I saw enough pretty good golf out there to be positive going into the next few days."
Villegas will take just about anything positive at this stage in his career. Just four years after his back-to-back wins in FedExCup Playoffs events and climbing to as high as No. 7 in the world, the 31-year-old Colombian went into a slump so bad that over the last 18 months he lost his card last year and didn't earn it back in q-school. A popular draw, he has received ample sponsor exemptions to get through the year and can build a full schedule. But he was middle-of-the-pack in the Humana Challenge, and then missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open and the AT and T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
"This game is great when you're playing good," Villegas said. "When you're out here missing cuts and missing cuts, I don't care what people say. Yes, we're blessed to have this job, but it's not that much fun. ... The game was kicking my butt a little bit. That's a good way to put it. 
"But I know who I am. I know I belong out here. I know how good I can be, and therefore, that's why you're just going to keep your head up and keep working."
It was his lowest round since a 63 to start the Humana Challenge a year ago.
Villegas won The Honda Classic in 2010 at PGA National, so he at least has that to build on. Despite the good start, he wasn't afraid to risk ruining the day on the last hole.
"My caddie said, `Where are you going to go with the one,'" Villegas said. "And I said, `I'm looking straight at that flag.' And I hit a great shot."
Grace, part of the core of young South Africans on the rise, played The Honda Classic for the first time, though he had heard plenty about the water and trouble on Nos. 15, 16 and 17 that was dubbed the Bear Trap in honor of course designer Jack Nicklaus. He saw it on TV and talked to Charl Schwartzel about it last week.
And he brought a little trepidation with him to PGA National.
"I sat down with Charl last week at the Match Play and he said, `Listen, the four finishing holes are quite a beast out there.' So I was a little nervous coming here," Grace said. "I just thought, `What's going to happen around that corner?'"
The first one was easy after a tee shot into 2 feet on the par-3 15th. He holed birdie putts of about 18 feet on the next two holes, and then his 3-iron barely cleared the water in front of the green on the par-5 18th, leading to a simple up-and-down to finish in style.
Dustin Johnson, coming off two missed cuts and a first-round loss in the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, sorted out his issues with the driver and opened at 66 to join a group that included Lee Westwood, Sean O'Hair, Boo Weekley and Ben Kohles, who won back-to-back Web.com Tour events last year in his two starts after turning pro to earn a tour card.
Woods didn't hit it all that poorly, except for his tee shot on the par-4 sixth, with the tees moved forward 40 yards. He drove it left and down the bank into the water. Because of where it first crossed the hazard, he would have had no chance to get near the green after a penalty drop. Woods saw enough the ball to give it a shot.
He removed his shoes and socks as the gallery came to life. The ball shot out with a big splash, leaving Woods about 80 yards to a front pin. He hit wedge to 8 feet and saved par.
"I was 1 over at the time, and if that ball is not playable from where it's at, where I crossed was pretty far back," Woods said. "Looking at 6 -- 3 over -- and all of a sudden I flip it, make par there and birdie the next."


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MICHAEL SIM MAKES THE CUT IN NZ PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

FROM THE PGA OF AUSTRALASIA WEBSITE

Defending champion Michael Hendry is tied for the lead with a pair of Australians at the midway point of the NZPGA Championship in Queenstown.
Hendry, pictured below, fired his second consecutive round of 67 on Friday to sit at 10 under overall alongside joint overnight leader Aaron Townsend and Western Australia's Scott Strange at the head of proceedings.
It could have been even better for Hendry had he not taken a double-bogey at his 14th hole late in the day.
"We had the yardage and were comfortable that a nine iron wasn't going to go too far and we thought wedge wasn't going to get over the bunker. We hit nine iron and it was a club too much," Hendry said after his round.
"It landed right up against a tree but I was lucky as well, there was a little irrigation hose sticking out of the ground that it was basically resting against so I managed to get a free drop from there, but it was custard up there."
Despite the setback, Hendry is happy with how he is placed heading into the weekend.
"Like I said that sort of thing's going to happen - that's golf. Over 72 holes you're going to make an error. There's nothing more you can do about it, you just get on with the job," he said.
"It could be a lot worse, I'm in contention again which is great and hopefully it's my turn to finish one off."
New Zealand duo Gareth Paddison and Michael Long and Australia's Rohan Blizard are just one stroke behind at minus nine on what is a congested leaderboard, while Leigh Deagan is in sole possession of seventh another shot back.
The other overnight leaders in Adam Bland and Matthew Ballard struggled on the greens at the Hills Golf Club in New Zealand's south west, but are still in contention at five under for the tournament.
Aberdeen-born Michael Sim shot a 68 for 141 and a share of 35th place. He made the cut with two shots to spare
US senior Hale Irwin improved by nine shots from an opening 80 to a 71 for 151 but that still left him at T124 on the scoreboard and missing the cut by eight strokes.

SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Players from Australia unless stated
Par 144 (2x72)
134 Michael Hendry (NZ) 67 67, Aaron Townsend 66 68, Scott Strange 69 65
135 Rohan Blizard 67 68, Gareth Paddison (NZ) 67 66, Michael Long (NZ)  68 67
SELECTED SCORES
141 Michael Sim (Scotland) 73 68 (T35)

MISSED THE CUT (players with 143 and better qualified)
151 Hale Irwin (US) 80 71 (T124)  

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