Chapman in control as Smyth fades

Des Smyth suffered a nightmare finish to see his chances of winning the Irish Seniors Open blown away in the wind at Ballybunion.

The Co Louth star, 56, carded a disappointing six over par 77 in winds gusting over 25 mph to trail England’s Roger Chapman by eight shots on four over par.

“I started badly and finished badly,” said Smyth, who dropped four shot over his last four holes with a double bogey six at the last. “I got off to a horrible start, got back into it again and then got myself in trouble.

“As I said, yesterday, if you go in the wrong place here you are in trouble and that’s what I did.”

Eamonn Darcy is the best of the Irish, seven shots off the pace on three over after a 72 but he will need to play superbly to catch Chapman, who is seeking his maiden win in just his third seniors start.

The Englishman bogeyed the last after a pushed drive but still fired a level par 71 to lead by two shots from American Bob Boyd on four-under par.

Boyd equalled the best round of the day set by Paraguay’s Angel Franco, when he birdied the last three holes to card a three-under par 68.

“I am thrilled to death just to be able to play.” said Boyd, who missed the 2006 and 2007 seasons after contracting acute myeloid leukemia. “I just hope to stay calm, stay in play and make a few putts.”

England's Gordon J Brand and Glenn Ralph are tied for third place on one over par with Ian Woosnam five shots off the pace in fifth after a 70.

Sam Torrance withdrew with a wrist injury after just two holes of his second round.

Irish Seniors Open, Ballybunion GC (Par 71)
Second rd:
138 R Chapman (Eng) 67 71,
140 B Boyd (USA) 72 68,
143 G Brand (Eng) 71 72, G Ralph (Eng) 69 74,
144 I Woosnam (Wal) 74 70, G Cali (Ita) 72 72,
145 E Darcy (Irl) 73 72, T Johnstone (Zim) 71 74,
146 H Carbonetti (Arg) 69 77, J Rivero (Esp) 72 74, A Franco (Par) 78 68, K Tomori (Jpn) 70 76, E Rodriguez (Esp) 72 74, D Smyth (Irl) 69 77, N Ratcliffe (Aus) 75 71,
147 S Bennett (Eng) 74 73, L Carbonetti (Arg) 72 75, P Mitchell (Eng) 74 73, J Bland (RSA) 72 75,
148 J Rhodes (Eng) 72 76, D O'Sullivan (Irl) 77 71, P Brostedt (Swe) 69 79, R Drummond (Sco) 72 76, D Merriman (Aus) 75 73,
149 D Cambridge (Jam) 70 79, B Lincoln (RSA) 77 72, C Rocca (Ita) 72 77, A Fernandez (Chi) 70 79,
150 B Cameron (Eng) 72 78, S Ginn (Aus) 76 74, M Harwood (Aus) 72 78, D Russell (Eng) 75 75,
151 D Good (Aus) 74 77, G Brand Jnr (Sco) 73 78, C Mason (Eng) 73 78, S Ebihara (Jpn) 71 80, T Giedeon (Ger) 77 74,
152 B Longmuir (Sco) 72 80, A Murray (Eng) 69 83, J Chillas (Sco) 76 76, M Miller (Sco) 78 74,
153 I Mosey (Eng) 76 77, E Polland (Nir) 79 74, J Quiros (Esp) 73 80, J Hall (Eng) 74 79, M Clayton (Aus) 80 73, G Encina (Chi) 77 76,
154 D Hospital (Esp) 74 80, G Towne (USA) 77 77, G Watine (Fra) 77 77, M Cunning (USA) 74 80,
155 M Williams (Zim) 76 79, J Heggarty (Nir) 75 80, M Piñero (Esp) 78 77, J Bruner (USA) 76 79, N Job (Eng) 70 85, D Johnson (USA) 76 79, P Oakley (USA) 74 81,
156 E Feely  (Irl) 79 77, P O'Hagan (Irl) 74 82,
157 M Bembridge (Eng) 80 77,
158 K Spurgeon (Eng) 80 78, A Garrido (Esp) 78 80, D Durnian (Eng) 82 76,
159 S Owen (Nzl) 80 79, B Smit (RSA) 78 81,
160 T Gale (Aus) 80 80, M Coote(am) (Irl) 77 83,
161 E McMenamin (am) (Irl) 80 81,
163 A Barrera (Arg) 84 79,
165 P Teravainen (USA) 79 86,
166 L Macnamara (am) (Irl) 81 85,
167 D Morris (am) (Irl) 82 85,
169 A Spring (Irl) 87 82,
** L Higgins (Irl) 74 RETD, S Torrance (Sco) 76 RETD,