Date: June 09, 2012
Author: Omnisport

O’Hern on the move

Rory McIlroy holds a one-shot lead at the halfway mark of the St Jude Classic in Memphis, while Nick O&aposHern moved up to a share of 12th. The Northern Irishman shot a five-under par 65 in his second round on Friday for a combined total of 133. Americans JB Holmes, Jeff Maggert and Kevin Standler are tied for second place on 134 while three other compatriots, John Merrick, Chad Campbell and Kevin Kisner, are a shot behind sharing fifth place. South Korea&aposs Seung-Yul Noh, Ireland&aposs Padraig Harrington and Americans Kevin Kisner and Davis Love III are tied for eighth. A further shot adrift, leading Australian O&aposHern shares 12th place with a two-round total of 137 while Robert Allenby is one shot back in a tie for 18th after a second round 70. McIlroy, who carded a first-round 68 for a share of seventh place on Thursday, improved by three strokes on Friday to be seven under at the halfway mark. The 23-year-old began well, enjoying a birdie on the second hole and an eagle at the third. He had another birdie at the 11th but hit trouble on the 12th and 13th, dropping a shot at each hole. But he recovered to birdie three of the last four holes, including the 18th. Meanwhile, world number three Lee Westwood is on track to win the Nordea Scandinavian Masters for the second time in his career, while Australian Marcus Fraser vaulted up into the top 10. Englishman Westwood, who won the same European Tour event in a playoff for the first victory of his professional career in 1996, leads by three shots at 16-under par with one round remaining. The 39-year-old posted a four-under-par third round of 68 at the Bro Hof Slott Golf Club, near Stockholm, on Friday. Fraser shot the equal best round of the day – a seven-under-par 65 – to move up 45 places into a tie for seventh at nine under. His bogey-free round included seven birdies, four of which came in the last seven holes. Compatriot Richard Green is two shots further back after carding a 68.