Smyth goes into reverse

Des Smyth threw away a fast start with an untidy finish but still moved up the leaderboard in the Ginn Championship at Hammock Beach Resort.

Just 24 hours after repairing a bad start with a fast finish, the Drogheda man turned great round into a modest 71 with bogeys at the 16th and 17th.

As Bernhard Langer cared a 66 to lead by two shots on 11 under par from Lonnie Nielsen, Smyth moved up to tied 25th.

But it could have been so much better after birdies at the first, third, sixth and seventh sent him shooting up the leaderboard.

A bogey at the eighth and that disappointing finish took the gloss off an otherwise solid performance.

Smyth, 55, needs a boost to his confidence as he sits in 60th place in the money list with just one top-25 from four starts so far this season