Paul McGinley shrugged off a six-week spell of indifferent form to move into contention for the Sun Dutch Open title at Hilversum yesterday. A second round of 69 in a swirling wind and heavy rain showers put the Dubliner on a six under par total of 136 at the halfway mark, only two shots behind new favourite David Gilford, but five adrift of German Sven Struver, who upset the form book with a remarkable 64 for an 11 under par total of 131.
Struver, languishing at 125th in the Volvo rankings, has failed in each of his last seven tournaments, but after changing back to his old clubs, burst back to form with an eagle and six birdies.
Gilford also shot 69 to improve his prospects of the victory that would go a long way towards helping him retain his Ryder Cup place.
Defending champion Mark McNulty was forced to withdraw because of serious back trouble. He aggravated the long standing problem during a first round 71, and despite early morning physiotherapy was able to play only six holes of the second stage before his back went into spasm.
McGinley, who was 65th in the British Open championship last week, was delighted with his improvement. "It is the first time I have beaten the cut by more than one shot since the Benson and Hedges International in May," he said.
His game is showing an all round improvement, rather than being better in one particular facet. He collected four birdies, and his mistakes were limited to two off-line drives at the first and ninth which prevented him reaching the greens in regulation.
But he played the inward half expertly in 33, and has every chance this weekend of improving on his previous best this season, fifth in the Deutsche Bank Open in Hamburg.
Victory, worth £116,660 sterling, would propel him from 25th to 11th in the Ryder Cup qualifying table, ahead of Padraig Harrington.
Two birdies in the last three holes enabled Philip Walton to scramble past the halfway cut by a single shot with a 70 for level par 142. The Ryder Cup player was in difficulty when he took six at the 12th after hooking his drive, and then putting his second into rough on the right, well short of the green. Then he hit a poor chip and missed from 10 feet for his par five.
It was equally unpromising when the swirling wind knocked down his eight-iron approach to the 16th and left him 50 feet short of the flag.
However, he sank the longrange birdie putt, and then made his birdie four at the last after two drivers had put him in the fluffy grass just wide of the 18th. A good chip to three feet left him in high spirits. "Anyone who makes the cut can still win this tournament," he said.
Raymond Burns got through on the exact one over par qualifying mark, despite a shaky spell on his inward half where he missed four successive greens. The Banbridge golfer had gained a third birdie at the 12th, but had to scramble hard to drop only two strokes in the last six holes, and sign for a regulation 71.
Ronan Rafferty took 72 for 142 to also qualify for the last 36 holes, but it will be another weekend at home for Des Smyth and David Higgins who returned totals of 146. Smyth had six bogeys in seven holes around the turn on the way to a 76, while Higgins had a second 73.
