Smyth's late surge earns Seniors Open lead

LONDON, July 27 (Reuters) Ireland's Des Smyth birdied the last four holes to set the pace on two-under par at the Senior British Open at Muirfield today.

Smyth was two-over for the day after two early bogies before his late surge gave him a second successive one-under par 70 for the lead at the halfway point.

Gordon J. Brand had a double-bogey on the last for a 73 that slipped him back to one-under alongside American Tom Watson, who also dropped a shot on the last, Australian Stewart Ginn and Argentina's Eduardo Romero.

Nick Faldo, who shared the overnight lead with a three-under par 68 in his first taste of seniors golf, also had a bogey at the last to card a three-over 74.

The 50-year-old, who won two of his six majors on the Scottish course, began badly with three bogeys in the first four holes but recovered his poise before spoiling things with dropped shots on the 15th and 18th.

Fellow Englishman Nick Job, who also had a share of the overnight lead, had a disastrous second round with a 14-over par 85 to miss the cut.

Job began with a triple-bogey seven but plumbed new depths when he took nine at the par-three 13th.

Reuters BJR VP0107