ATZENBRUGG, September 23, 2011 (AFP) - Two-time major-winner John Daly stormed off the course at the Austrian Open on Friday following a dispute with a tournament official.
The 45-year-old American, nicknamed 'Wild Thing' for his unconventional behaviour on and off the course, gave up on his second round after a disagreement about a drop on the par-three 15th hole.
Daly found the water from the tee and then threw his club into the pond but eventually completed the hole, only to be told by an official that he might have dropped his ball in the wrong place.
After being told that he would probably receive a two-shot penalty as a result, Daly decided to call it quits.
England's Robert Coles shot a superb 65 to take a share of the halfway lead with Dutchman Joost Luiten (70), Thomas Norret of Norway (70) and India's Gaganjeet Bhullar (68).
Coles, 39, has never won in 15 years on The European Tour but produced a brilliant seven-under-par round that did not feature a single bogey.
"I made quite a few long putts so I probably turned a 68 into a 65," said Coles. "I'm not going to complain about that.
"You have got to hit the fairways here if you want to make a score. I have been driving it better this week because it had been pretty terrible recently. It feels a lot better better now.
"I really enjoyed it out there today and that is always the key for me."
Overnight leader Liam Bond slipped back to four under par -- three shots off the pace -- after a round of 74.
The 41-year-old Welsh rookie, who graduated from Qualifying School at the 16th attempt last year, registered four birdies but also carded two bogeys and double-bogeys at the first and 11th.
Leading and selected second round scores at the Austrian Open at the Diamond Country Club, Atzenbrugg, on Friday (GBR and IRL unless stated, par 72):
137 - Thomas Norret (DEN) 67-70, Robert Coles 72-65, Joost Luiten (NED) 67-70, Gaganjeet Bhullar (IND) 69-68
139 - Daniel Gaunt (AUS) 67-72, Emanuele Canonica (ITA) 71-68, Simon Wakefield 73-66, Matthias Schwab (AUT) 72-67
140 - Gary Murphy 72-68, Gary Orr 69-71, Liam Bond 66-74
141 - Joakim Haeggman (SWE) 69-72, Andrea Maestroni (ITA) 72-69, Christian Nilsson (SWE) 71-70, Jurgen Maurer (AUT) 72-69, Mark Brown (NZL) 71-70, Bernd Wiesberger (AUT) 70-71
142 - Martin Wiegele (AUT) 75-67, Richard Bland 71-71, Mikko Korhonen (FIN) 71-71, Jesus Legarrea (ESP) 71-71, Rafael Echenique (ARG) 73-69, Kenneth Ferrie 72-70, Paul Broadhurst 71-71, Gustav Adell (SWE) 74-68, Gary Boyd 72-70, Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP) 73-69, Philip Golding 74-68
143 Jason Barnes 71-72, Jarmo Sandelin (SWE) 71-72, Oliver Wilson 72-71, Victor Dubuisson (FRA) 72-71, Lloyd Saltman 73-70, Christoph Gunther (GER) 72-71, David Drysdale 73-70, Marc Warren 70-73, Alastair Forsyth 74-69
Selected
145 - Padraig Harrington 75-70
147 - Alex Haindl (RSA) 73-74
Missed cut
148 - Trent Leon (USA) 71-77
149 - Wade Ormsby (AUS) 72-77
RTD: 74 John Daly (USA)