Horror 79 sees Murphy miss Mallorca cut

GARY MURPHY'S hopes of a handsome cheque were dashed in brutal fashion at the windswept, rain-interrupted Mallorcan Open yesterday.

A second-round 79 sent the Kilkenny man tumbling to his ninth missed cut in 11 European Tour outings.

Murphy was one-under after back-to-back birdies at six and seven, yet a double-bogey five at eight, a double-bogey six at 11 and a triple-bogey seven at 12 had him on the ropes.

His fate was sealed when he dropped three more shots on the final two holes. A remarkable 64 earned Sweden's Pelle Edberg a share of the lead on six-under with South Africa's Jamie Kingston.

Athlone's Colm Moriarty made it to the weekend in a tie for 41st on four-over after yesterday's level-par 70, while Damien McGrane (T49 on five-over) and Paul McGinley (T61, six-over) also play the final 36 holes after rounds of 71.

Ireland's Rebecca Coakley was prominent in a four-way tie for fifth on four-under after a second-round 69 at the German Ladies Open in Munich, six off the searing pace set on 10-under by Sweden's Linda Wessberg, who posted a career-best 64 yesterday.

banked

Alison Walshe shared 19th place on one-under-par after a round of 71. Hazel Kavanagh was even-par after two 72 scores, while Martina Gillen missed the cut by eight after yesterday's 78.

Des Smyth (57) banked €20,225, his biggest cheque in 10 months on the European Seniors Tour, as a closing 70 left him fifth with England's John Harris on 11-under, nine off Scottish winner Bill Longmuir at the Handa Senior Masters in Melton Mowbray.

Ireland's other money-earners were Denis O'Sullivan (€2,529, T36, one-over, 69 yesterday), Jimmy Heggarty (€547, T68, 12-over, 77), Christy O'Connor Junior (€500, T70, 14-over, 79), Eddie Polland (€500, T70, 14-over, 79) and Liam Higgins (€428, T73, 17-over, 77).