GOLF EUROPEAN TOUR:GERMANY'S MARCEL Siem seized the overnight lead at the halfway stage of the €1million Andalucian Open while the six Irishmen in the field all flopped and missed the cut in Seville.
Siem, who assumed the lead from first round leader Chris Doak, added a 67 to his opening 68, while Doak had an erratic round that contained an eagle two and a double bogey in his 73 to drop back to five-under-par.
At nine-under-par Siem leads by one from France’s Jean-Francois Lucquin (69) and England’s Graeme Storm, who shot 66.
“I was pretty calm, which is unusual for me,” said Siem after his round.
“I said to my caddie that I felt like Retief Goosen — I don’t have any emotions. But if you play well it’s a lot easier.”
It was a thoroughly disappointing day for the Irish contingent as none of the six Irishmen who set out made it into the weekend.
Paul McGinley could have reason to feel most aggrieved as the three-time Ryder Cup player’s hopes unravelled with a quadruple bogey nine at the ninth.
In double quick time the Dubliner went from level par for his round to four-over. From there he compounded the disappointment with two further bogeys at the 10th and 11th.
He then completely derailed after picking up two more bogeys and a double bogey en route to an uncharacteristic 82 to finish near last on 10-over-par.
Peter Lawrie (74) and Damien McGrane (71) both missed the cut by one shot after they finished on one-over.
Gary Murphy was two shots further back after his 71, while Michael Hoey’s 74 left the Belfast pro five-over.
Jonathan Caldwell struggled to get to grips with the Seville layout and signed off with a 79 to be one worse than McGinley on 11-over.
Colin Montgomerie, playing his 500th Tour event as a professional, merely treaded water after a mixed bag 72 left the European Ryder Cup captain stuck on five-under after his opening 67.
The Scot had no trouble making birdies — he had five on his card — but the problem was he had just as many bogeys.
Like the Irish representation double Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal also missed the cut after a second successive 74.
Afterwards he said still plans to head to Augusta in two weeks’ time unless his health deteriorates.
AMATEUR: Royal Dublin's Niall Kearney is the leading Irishman entering the final round of the European Nations Championship at Sotogrande in southern Spain.
The reigning South of Ireland champion carded a third round 70 to sit alone in 10th place in the individual standings on 210, eleven shots behind leader Carlos Pigem Xammar of Spain.
Defending champion Shane Lowry is 12 stokes behind the Spaniard on 211 after a 72 with Newlands’ Cian Curley (73) tied for 25th on 218 and Rathmore’s Alan Dunbar (75) for 229.
England leads the team standings by 11 strokes from France on 618 with Ireland the next best of the home nations in fourth place on 639.
