Golf: James indulges taste for exotic

MARK JAMES, the 39-year-old Ryder Cup player who seems to thrive in tournaments on exotic islands, yesterday moved into a one- shot lead at the half-way stage of the Tenerife Open.

Last month he won the Madeira Island Open and now heads the field after two fine rounds over the tricky Golf Del Sur course.

James, who had a second round of 69 to add to his opening 71, is a stroke ahead of the South African De Wet Basson and the Dutchman Chris van der Velde - and very happy with his golf.

This was a shade different to his mood three days ago when his golf clubs were left at Heathrow Airport and failed to arrive in time for him to compete in Wednesday's pro-am. 'If they had not arrived by Wednesday lunchtime, I'd have been off home,' he said. 'I had a flight booked and was ready to go, but I'm glad they turned up.'

James was in jovial mood after battling through the wind for five birdies and only two bogeys on his card - at the sixth and the 12th, taking three putts on each.

'These greens are very difficult,' he said, 'and I've had seven three putts over the two rounds. But I can't complain - I'm hitting most of the greens and coping with the putting pretty well.'

Basson, who owes his unusual first name to a famous Boer army general, had three birdies and an eagle three at the long 10th, where he finished three feet from the flag with his seven-iron approach shot.

His round of 70 was marred by a double-bogey at the 12th and a bogey at the 13th.

Van der Velde, playing with great consistency, had four birdies in his second round 69 and only one bogey - at the ninth.

The same could not be said for the pre-tournament favourite, Jose Maria Olazabal, who added a 75 to his 76 of the previous day. The 27-year-old Spaniard said: 'I'm not hitting the ball well and have no confidence in my game. But I'm still putting well.'

TENERIFE OPEN Leading first-round scores (GB or Irl unless stated): 140; M James 71 69; 141 D W Basson (SA) 71 70, C Van der Velde (Neth) 72 69; 142 C O'Connor Jnr 69 73; 144 D Cooper 73 71, D Gilford 71 73, P Affleck 70 74; 145 A Murray 74 71, S Struver (Ger) 71 74, E Darcy 69 76, M Hallberg (Swe) 73 72, M McLean 68 77, E Romero (Arg) 72 73; 146 G J Brand 72 74, J Coceres (Arg) 72 74, A Binaghi (It) 74 72, G Ralph 73 73, D Borrego (Sp) 77 69, W Riley (Aus) 74 72, D Ray 74 72; 147 B Lane 75 72, J Rivero (Sp) 72 75, D A Russell 73 74, J Quiros (Sp) 75 72, R Claydon 71 76, B Longmuir 75 72.

David Feherty had a six-under- par 65 for a 137 total in the second round of the Hong Kong Open. Feherty, however, was still five shots off the leader, the American Brian Watts, who followed an opening 63 with a 69. Seve Ballesteros survived the cut by making a birdie at the last. The out-of-form Spaniard shot 70 and is 12 strokes off the lead.