McGinley ignites in the cold and damp

For someone who spent much of the summer searching for "a spark", it was a touch ironic that Paul McGinley chose a damp autumnal day to finally ignite. In the exceptionally soft underfoot conditions, the Dubliner was one of the few players to have a spring in his step as he defied a stiff westerly wind to assume the midway lead in the Smurfit Irish PGA Championship at Fota Island yesterday.

McGinley termed his second round 66 for a 36-hole aggregate of eight-under-par 136 as "possibly my best scoring round of the season". His peers, who were left shaking their heads in admiration, didn't disagree. "Stupid golf," remarked Des Smyth in an awestruck sort of way, while David Higgins ventured: "That's an unbelievable round, I didn't think anyone could do it on that course in those conditions."

On a day when some fellow European Tour players struggled, most notably Raymond Burns who laboured to an 86 (for 160) and missed the cut which fell on 156, McGinley was one of just four players under par at the midway mark.

Stephen Hamill, a former tour player, had a hole-in-one at the 182-yard 17th (unfortunately, for him, not at the third where a Toyota car is on offer for an ace) on his way to a 68 for 139 to lead the pursuit of McGinley. Smyth, who had 69 for 141, and Higgins, with a 70 for 142, were the only other players to dip into red figures.

"The secret was my short game," said McGinley, who had eight birdies and two bogeys. Ironically, it is that area of his game which has given him most problems in recent months.

By his short game, McGinley was referring to "chipping, bunker play and anywhere from 80 yards," adding: "That's the part of my game I've been working on."

Apart from a 40-footer at the seventh - where his five-iron teeshot landed eight feet past the hole but spun viciously back down the slope - McGinley's other birdies ranged from tap-ins to 12-footers.

The men most likely to mount a charge on the leader appear to be Hamill, Smyth and Higgins, the only other players better than par.

Hamill, three shots adrift, remarkably had the only bogeyfree round of the tournament, the high point being that hole-in-one at 17th where he hit a five-iron for his eighth career ace. But Smyth - who has won the title five times and is the defending champion - could emerge as a more serious threat.

Smyth's purple patch occurred in mid-round. The Laytown man had five birdies in six holes from the fifth, the longest from 12 feet. "I was cruising along then, but it just sort of fizzled out," he said.

Higgins had an eventful round in shooting a 70 that featured an eagle (at the eighth where he hit a six-iron approach to 10 feet), three birdies and three bogeys.

Elsewhere, first round leader Jimmy Bolger returned to earth somewhat with an 80, although he comfortably made the halfway cut.