KEY POINTS:
Two disappointing rounds from Michael Campbell dashed his hopes of making the cut at the Irish Open.
Campbell was cut from the euro2.5 (NZ$4.69) million event with rounds of 77 and 76 for a nine over par tally on the Adare Manor course, just south of Limerick. Last
week he missed the cut at the Players Championship in Florida after scores of 75 and 79.
In tough, squally conditions just seven players managed to remain in red figures on a course that is the longest in the event's 80-year history. Ireland's Padraig Harrington justified his No 12 world ranking to head the field on three under par.
The home crowd favourite carded a second round 68 spoilt only by a bogey at the last with Harrington now hoping to become the first Irish-born winner in 25 years. Three players - England's Simon Wakefield (72), Sweden's Johan Backstrom (71) and Argentina's Andres Romero (74) - were tied in second on two under par.
The seven players under par after 36 holes were all out in the morning half of the draw while Campbell was among 78 competitors teeing-up in the afternoon when conditions were at their worst. Strong winds lashed the course causing havoc, particularly in the exhibition area with tents and marquees the most concern for officials. Heavy rain showers also hit the parkland course and nearby Shannon Airport reported several wind gusts over 80kmh.
Campbell was off to a bright start with a first-hole birdie but then dropped three shots over four holes before back-to-back bogeys at the 11th and 12th saw him fall to nine over par.
He managed a second birdie of the round at the par-four 14th to give himself some hope of making the cut but that hope was erased when he dropped a shot at the par four 17th. He finished two shots the cut.
"It was just brutal out there and one of the toughest days of golf I've ever experienced," Campbell said. "I got off to a good start but it was just so difficult and it was a matter of just hanging in there and trying to keep the bogeys off the card.
"I thought I might just scrape through to the weekend but the bogey on 17 hurt me."
The former US Open champion was one of six former Irish Open winners, in a field boasting 10 past champions, who missed the cut.
Among those was Welshman Stephen Dodd, winner in 2005 and competing in the same group as Campbell for the opening two rounds. Dodd carded scores of 75 and 80 with his second round ending with a triple bogey eight.
- NZPA
