Gary Evans back to form

England's Gary Evans put a major health scare behind him to remain on course for a maiden tour victory in the West of Ireland Classic in Galway.

Evans' career was almost ended by a severe wrist injury after a superb start in the professional ranks saw him touted as "the new Nick Faldo".

After two years of struggle, surgery in 1994 finally corrected the problem. But Evans feared the worst last month when a pain in his left shoulder spread down his arm and forced him to withdraw from this year's Open championship.

"I thought it was my old injury and I was scared, a bit panicky," the 30-year-old from Worthing admitted after his second-round course-record-equalling 66 saw him one off the lead held by Sweden's Eric Carlberg.

"I tried to qualify for the Open but only managed 10 holes because I couldn't grip the club properly and withdrew from the Open and Dutch Open."

Fortunately for Evans, fellow tour pro Roger Winchester recommended he saw physio Paul Morrissey in Croydon, and he diagnosed the problem as stress-related.

"Paul was great," said Evans, who is desperate to win on tour after seven barren years.

"He said it was nothing to do with the wrist and said it was stress and I had to relax a bit more.

"I think half the problem was moving house and half that after playing well for the first three months of the season I felt I was close to winning one of these damned events!

"There was anxiety to do well especially after I shot 62 in the first round of the German Open. To finish ninth there was very disappointing."

That disappointment was partially eased by winning a Rolex watch for lowest round of the week and for also giving him the chance for a bit of showmanship.

"I saw a number plate after Germany that read GAZ 62 and I had to have it," he explained.

"I'm putting it on a 1962 black VW Beetle that I've bought.

"It's immaculate, 66,000 miles, one lady owner who only used it to go to the shops once a week. I can't wait to take it to Wentworth next year and park it next to Darren Clarke's Ferrari with his DC 60 number plate.

"There will only be £150,000 difference in value, but mine will look a lot cooler!"

Carlberg added a 67 to his opening 68 to finish nine under, one clear of Evans, with Denmark's Nils Rorbaek, Scotland's Stephen Gallacher and Ireland's Paul McGinley a shot further back.

Local favourite McGinley added a 69 to his opening 68, and it could have been even better but for an unfortunate incident on his penultimate hole.

A spectator's mobile phone rang just as the 32-year-old Dubliner was about to take a three-foot putt for par on the 17th, costing him a second bogey of the day.

"It's part of modern-day golf, and you've got to put up with it," said a philosophical McGinley.

"It shouldn't be, but it's the same for all the players. No excuse.

"Unfortunately it went off at precisely the wrong time, but what can I do? I can't replay the shot. You've got to deal with it. It's like getting a bad bounce."

McGinley has written off his Ryder Cup chances, but two players still with an eye on Boston are also well in the hunt for the £41,000 first prize and the valuable cup points.

Playing partners Costantino Rocca and Padraig Harrington conjured up strong finishes to finish three off the lead at six under, despite the Irishman also having an unwelcome mobile phone distraction.

This time a phone rang at the top of his backswingn the sixth hole, causing him to duff his fairway wood shot and run up a bogey six.

"On reflection it was a convenient excuse," said Harrington, who birdied two of the last three holes for a second consecutive 69.

"I had a shot of 235 yards, a left to right wind, water on the left and out-of-bounds on the right.

"The phone went off at the top of my backswing, and I just duffed it basically. It ended up 100 yards short in heavy rough, precisely where I didn't want to be."

Rocca went one better than Harrington with birdies at 16, 17 and 18 to add a 68 to his opening 70.