SYDNEY - Hamiltonians Steve Alker and David Smail stayed just within sight of a high-profile leaderboard while compatriot Michael Campbell crashed out of the $A2 million ($2.49 million) Greg Norman Holden International golf tournament here yesterday.
Alker is on eight-under-par 138 in a tie for 11th and his former schoolmate Smail
is one stroke back after the second round at The Lakes course. Alker is five shots behind overnight leader Sergio Garcia, of Spain, who continued to thrill large galleries with his dynamic short game and putting.
Garcia shot a four-under 69 to maintain a one-stroke advantage. The chasers are led by tournament host Greg Norman, who is another shot clear of young Australian star Aaron Baddeley and Welshman Phillip Price.
The leading New Zealand duo reversed their first-round roles. Smail capitalised on calm, early conditions and to card a five-under 68 while Alker battled uncomfortable afternoon winds to manage a 72.
The Australasian PGA Tour's leading money winner Campbell would be playing at the weekend if an eight-foot birdie putt on the final green had not lipped out.
His wry grin as he putted for par told the story of a tournament where his short game didn't reach the standard that took him to victory in last week's Heineken Classic in Perth.
"Sometimes it gets hard to motivate myself if I'm not in the hunt so I find I have to conjure up the enthusiasm," said Campbell, who will contest the Malaysian Open next week.
Of the other New Zealanders, Greg Turner shot a disappointing 76 to join Campbell on 145 while Michael Long and Stephen Scahill also missed the cut at one-over. Elliot Boult and Phil Tataurangi, who returned to form with an encouraging 69, both crept through to the weekend on two-under.
- NZPA
