Smyth on the verge of career-boost
Wind specialist Des Smyth can re-iginite his season after firing a three-under par 68 to take and slim, one-shot lead into the final round of the Irish Seniors Open at Ballyliffin.
The Drogheda veteran fired five birdies and just two bogeys on the revamped Old Links to take the slenderest of advantages over Spain?s Juan Quiros (69) and England?s Gordon J Brand (70) on three-under par.
Out in two under par 33, Smyth birdied the 11th and 13th to get to four under but bogeyed the par three 17th and failed to birdie the par-five last.
But he is still confident that he has the game to take his third European Seniors Tour win today and use it as a springboard to greater things on the US Champions Tour, where he is struggling to retain his card.
Smyth said: ?This is a title I would want to win more than any other apart from the British Seniors. Last year I won in Wentworth and went back to the US and had some good finishes. I?d love to win tomorrow and I will be giving it my best.
?I had a 66 within my reach but just let it get out of my hands today. Still I played well and I am very pleased with a 68.”
With high winds forecast for today’s final round, tee-times have been brought forward by half an hour. But that’s not good news for Smyth, who’d prefer to avoid a survival exercise.
?I?d prefer if the wind didn?t blow too hard tomorrow,” Smyth said. “People say I am a great wind player but. I don?t want to be trying to hang on to par on every hole.?
Scotland?s Bill Longmuir and Sam Torrance both shot 70 to lurking just two strokes behind Smyth on one under par as overnight leader Alan Tapie crashed to a 12 over par 83 to fall out of contention.
Cork?s Denis O?Sullivan signed for a 70 and is just three shots behind Smyth on level par with Ian Woosnam and Domingo Hospital lurking on one-over par after a best of the day 67.
Irish Seniors Open, Ballyliffin GC, Old Links (Par 71)
After 36 holes:
139 D Smyth (Irl) 71 68
140 J Quiros (Esp) 71 69, G Brand (Eng) 70 70
141 S Torrance (Sco) 71 70, B Longmuir (Sco) 71 70
142 E Rodriguez (Esp) 73 69, D Russell (Eng) 72 70, D O’Sullivan (Irl) 72 70, C Rocca (Ita) 71 71, A Barrera (Arg) 70 72
143 D Hospital (Esp) 76 67, I Woosnam (Wal) 76 67, J Chillas (Sco) 72 71
144 D Cambridge (Jam) 73 71, D Merriman (Aus) 72 72, D Good (Aus) 71 73, N Job (Eng) 71 73, S Owen (Nzl) 71 73, G Cali (Ita( 69 75
145 C Mason (Eng) 75 70, J Sallat (Fra) 73 72, A Murray (Eng) 73 72, T Giedeon (Ger) 73 72, J Bland (RSA) 72 73, M Piñero (Esp) 71 74, L Carbonetti (Arg) 69 76
146 G Encina (Chi) 75 71, T Gale (Aus) 75 71, A Franco (Par) 74 72, K Spurgeon (Eng) 74 72, S Lyle (Sco) 73 73, B Cameron (Eng) 72 74, T Charnley (Eng) 72 74, B Charles (Nzl) 71 75
147 P Teravainen (USA) 77 70, J Rhodes (Eng) 73 74, B Heuchan (Can) 73 74, K Tomori (Jpn) 71 76
148 A Fernandez (Chi) 75 73, G McGimpsey (NIr, am) 75 73, T Allen (Eng) 74 74, L Higgins (Irl) 73 75, A Sowa (Arg) 72 76
149 J Benda (USA) 77 72, E McMenamin (Irl, am) 74 75, H Carbonetti (Arg) 74 75, E Polland (NIr) 74 75, P O’Hagan (Irl) 74 75, B Lincoln (RSA) 73 76, R Drummond (Sco) 73 76,
150 M Gray (Sco) 80 70, I Mosey (Eng) 80 70, E Darcy (Irl) 77 73, T Price (Wal) 76 74, J Hall (Eng) 76 74, M Poxon (Eng) 75 75, S Ebihara (Jpn) 75 75, J Rivero (Esp) 74 76, J Hoskison (Eng) 73 77, A Garrido (Esp) 73 77, A Tapie (USA) 67 83
151 P Oakley (USA) 78 73, P Leonard (NIr) 77 74, M Bembridge (Eng) 77 74, J Heggarty (NIr) 76 75, S Ginn (Aus) 74 77, T Johnstone (Zim) 74 77
152 P Dugeny (Fra) 74 78, T Rastall (Eng) 73 79
153 M Miller (Sco) 77 76, B Boyd (USA) 77 76
154 V Smyth (am) (Irl) 77 77
155 B Larratt (Eng) 74 81
157 J Bruner (USA) 78 79
165 G Hopkins (USA) 83 82