Seventh proves bogey hole

AS the competitors coped fractionally better on their second assault on the 16th yesterday they enjoyed mixed fortunes at the K Club's other key holes with the seventh providing a watery disaster area for several of the big names but the 18th presenting one of the day's main birdie opportunities.

Bogeys at one and six did little for Philip Walton's chances of making it through to the last two days play here but it was at the seventh that his hopes entirely disintegrated, or sank to be more precise, with the Dubliner paying a visit to the river Liffey on the way to a triple bogey eight.

Stephen Ames made for the clubhouse shortly after his seven there while Eric Giraud, who had made such an impression on the way to a 10 at the 16th on Thursday, chose this hole to linger at this time around, producing another of the day's three eights before Ireland's Damian McGrane added the third.

Overall the average at the hole was 5.32 strokes, up from 5.09 on the opening day but there were far fewer birdies yesterday with just nine players beating par compared to 28 in round one.

At 18, though, there was many a hide saved including that of Colin Montgomerie whose birdie four in front of the clubhouse was just enough to save him from an early trip home.

The Scot, of course, managed his birdie in the afternoon when conditions had deteriorated considerably and it was during the morning's finer spell that the most remarkable sequence at the hole came with Paul Curry's birdie setting a trend that was followed by 14 of the next 16 players through.