Couples joins the leaders

Golf

Golf

Fred Couples shrugged off a recurrence of back trouble to gain a share of the half-way lead at the Johnnie Walker world championship in Jamaica yesterday.

The American birdied four of the last five holes for a 67 and five-under- par aggregate of 137. It looked likely to leave him one off the pace, but Fiji's Vijay Singh and Wayne Riley, of Australia, bogeyed the 434- yard last to fall back alongside him. Singh had a 68 and Riley, the overnight leader, a 71.

Britain's Colin Montgomerie, Nick Faldo and Sam Torrance all lost further ground in the race for one of golf's richest prizes. First place is worth a massive pounds 358,000. Montgomerie is 11 behind after a 72, Faldo 13 back following a 75 and Torrance 16 adrift after his 75.

Not that they bring up the rear of the 20-strong field, since John Daly slumped to his second successive 80 and Sweden's Andres Forsbrand followed an 83 with a 78.

Montgomerie stormed off after his round. For the second day in a row he got in a position to challenge, then fell back with bogeys at the ninth, 11th and 18th. Faldo had two double-bogey sixes, but that had nothing on Open champion Daly. There were fives sixes on his card.

Out in a level 35, Couples started his run with a four at the 519-yard 14th then finished with a hat-trick of birdies. He pitched to a yard on the 16th, two-putted the 524-yard 17th and saw his sand-wedge to the last finish two feet from the flag.

n David Feherty, a Ryder Cup player only four years ago, has said he is quitting the game. Feherty switched to the American tour two years ago, but this season lost his card. He has also split from his South African wife and says he does not plan to return to Europe because his two children are in America.