Brett Rumford of Australia took over the halfway lead at the Qatar Masters after shooting a 6-under 66. The 32-year-old Perth native, who returned to Europe in 2009 after a year on the PGA Tour where he failed to retain his playing card, reached 9 under at the Doha Golf Club That earned him a one-shot lead over the co-overnight leader Bradley Dredge of Wales who followed his opening 67 with 69. A shot further back was the other opening-day leader Oliver Wilson of England who added a 70 to his opening-round 67. Alongside Wilson on 7-under was the 2009 European money list winner Lee Westwood after he shot a 69. The wind, which gusted at up to 40 miles an hour on the opening day, was no longer an issue when the second round started. However, the greens remained firm and with tighter flag positions on the second day, Rumford said the course was no easier to play despite his seven birdies. Rumford made only one mistake off the tee when he took the wrong line at the 5th hole and just missed the fairway. Wilson, who has yet to record his first European Tour victory after 12 second-place finishes, was slowed by failing to convert birdie chances. “I just could not find the hole,” said the Englishman who made his Ryder Cup debut at Valhalla 17 months ago. “I was more than a little bit confused with the grain and the slopes. I was clueless and did not know what was going on.” American Todd Hamilton, the 2004 British Open Champion who is attempting to resuscitate his career after losing his PGA playing rights, missed the cut in Doha after following his opening 78 with a 75. Piercy in front In San Diego, American Scott Piercy, with his approach play in top order, made the most of ideal scoring conditions on the southern California coastline to surge one stroke clear in the San Diego Open first round Thursday. With hardly a breath of wind on a glorious sun-drenched day, Piercy fired a sizzling eight-under-par 64 on the North Course at Torrey Pines, one of two layouts hosting the fourth PGA Tour event of the year. Piercy scorched the front nine in seven-under 29 before ending the round one ahead of compatriots Ben Crane, Chris Tidland and Tour rookie Matt Every, plus Ryuji Imada of Japan, who all played on the North layout. American Tom Pernice Jr. opened with a bogey-free 66 on the North while Australian Robert Allenby, who started out on the more difficult and much longer South Course, was among a group of nine bunched on 67. Tournament favorite and three-time champion Phil Mickelson, who also began on the South, carded a two-under 70 after adopting a conservative approach in his first competitive round of the year.
