Golf

Pádraig Harrington moves up the leaderboard in Mexico; Leona Maguire falls back in Thailand

Harrington within seven shots of the halfway lead after a second round 66 but Maguire fails to back up her impressive day two effort

Padraig Harrington during the Mexico Open. Photograph: Fernando de Dios/Getty Images
Padraig Harrington during the Mexico Open. Photograph: Fernando de Dios/Getty Images
Sat Feb 24 2024 - 11:32

Pádraig Harrington fired a second round 66 to bring himself to within seven shots of the lead at the halfway point of the Mexico Open.

After a slow start on day one with a round of 72, Harrington came quickly out of the blocks on Friday, picking up shots on each of his first three holes. That momentum was halted a touch by a bogey on the fourth but further birdies came on the fifth and seventh holes.

Further strokes collected at 12 and 18 left Harrington into a tie for 31st, two shots under the cut on four under.

Matt Wallace has a share of the lead in Mexico after a second round 65 to pair with his opening 66.

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The Englishman played his last nine holes in 30, including an eagle three at the sixth hole in between a pair of birdies, as he moved to 11-under-par.

He is joined by Finland’s Sami Valimaki, who shot 67, American Jake Knapp and Mexico’s Alvaro Ortiz, who both carded a 64.

They are one shot ahead of the first-round leader Erik van Rooyen from South Africa, who added a 69 to his opening 63 thanks to a pair of late birdies.

There is then a two-shot gap back to American duo Andrew Novak and Mark Hubbard with defending champion Tony Finau among an 18-strong group five strokes off the pace.

Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre moved to five-under-par with a 66, one ahead of England’s Aaron Rai and Harrington.

Leona Maguire in action in Thailand. Photograph: Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images
Leona Maguire in action in Thailand. Photograph: Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images

Meanwhile in Thailand, Leona Maguire has fallen down the leaderboard after a third round effort of 71.

Maguire was in a tie for 10th heading into the weekend after a second round 67, but after a round which featured four birdies and three bogeys, the Cavan golfer finds herself in a tie for 21st, eight shots off the leader Paphangkorn Tavatanakit.