Harrington rues lost chances

Padraig Harrington squandered a good start and let slip the outright lead in the second round of the Asian Open in Taiwan.

The Irishman had been at his best in firing a six-under 66 on the opening day, when he played out a flawless round in squalid conditions, having a birdie putt on all 18 holes.

He looked to be straight back into the groove yesterday morning when, having been out shortly after 7am from the 10th tee, he picked up a birdie two at the 11th and then moved into the lead on his own with a 35-foot birdie at the next.

The 31-year-old, seeking to gain an early lead in the Order of Merit in the first event of the 2003 European Tour, then stretched his lead to two with a 25-foot putt for birdie on the 15th. But after turning in 33, Harrington bogeyed the first and then, after holing an eight-footer for birdie at the third, dropped back to eight under with a bogey on the ninth, his last.

The day's headlines were threatening to be stolen by the Dutchman Maarten Lafeber, who after his 66 on Thursday stormed past Harrington, and Trevor Immelman. The latter's two birdies and an eagle at the 14th, his fifth, pushed him two clear on 10 under with nine still to play. The overnight leader, Jyoti Randhawa, fell away to three under with an eight on the long 14th.

In Australia, Charles Howell III led the Australian Open after a five under round of 65, having had his round of 80 on the opening day wiped off his scorecard after play was abandoned. Following the unplayable conditions of Thursday at the Victoria Golf Club, yesterday saw 28 players break par. One shot behind were a group of four, Craig Parry, Rich Beem, Steve Allan and Chris Downes. Calls for 36 holes to be played today were rejected as the weather forecast predicted high temperatures.

At World Woods Golf Club in Florida, Ireland's Des Smyth maintained his share of the lead at the halfway stage of the US Champions Tour Qualifying Tournament. Smyth carded a second-round 68 for a nine-under total of 135 alongside Japan's Seiji Ebihara.