Aberdonian hasn't dropped a shot to par over first 36 holes
Can leader Paul Lawrie keep the bogey man at
bay over final two rounds at Gleneagles?
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Paul Lawrie has a chance to achieve something at The Johnnie Walker Championships at The Gleneagles Hotel which has even eluded Tiger Woods so far.
Only two players - David J Russell in 1992 and Jesper Parnevik three years later - have ever gone through an event in The European Tour without dropping a stroke.
Woods failed to join them on the very last hole of the 2002 World Golf Championships - American Express World Championship at Mount Juliet Golf & Spa Hotel in Ireland, but Lawrie is halfway there after adding a 69 to his opening 67 at The Gleneagles Hotel.
The 40 year old Aberdonian, winner of the 1999 Open Championship at Carnoustie, stands at eight under par 136 and now leads by two from Northern Ireland rookie Jonathan Caldwell, Dutchman Maarten Lafeber and big hitting Argentinian Daniel Vancsik.
"I wasn't in trouble a lot, but when I had to I obviously kept the round going, which you have to do when you have no bogeys," said Lawrie after doubling his first day advantage.
"I've been prone to the odd hook in my career and I've certainly got rid of that the last couple of days.
"I missed a few putts, but I'm very pleased with the way I hit it again. Overall you're not going to grumble, but I'm a golfer and you always grumble!"
Lafeber, in the group just two shots back from Lawrie, expressed a modicum of disappointment with his position.
“I should have shot a lot lower,” said Lafeber. “I hardly missed a shot and I just hit one mediocre shot, a poor tee shot on nine.
“Apart from that, I had so many putts, and I missed a four footer on the second for birdie.”
Vancsik won the BMW Italian Open in May, while Lafeber's only title on The European Tour came in his home country six years ago.
Vancsik admitted consistency would be key if he were to challenge Lawrie’s lead through the rest of the weekend.
“I'm hitting the ball much better now, but in Italy my putter was working well and I was making every one.
“Maybe if I have patient and my putting is working well this weekend, I'll have a chance. I was really lucky in the draw. Yesterday was perfect to play and today there was just a little bit of breeze but not too much. I think it's good luck.”
One fellow competitor certainly impressed by Lawrie's display - and it was mutual - was playing partner Jose Maria Olazabal.
Olazabal is in a tie for fifth with Ryder Cup Dane Soren Hansen, Indian Shiv Kapur and France's Gregory Bourdy.
Olazabal was delighted with his own efforts, especially five birdies in the first six holes, given that he is suffering more problems with rheumatism.
"I have a little bit of pain here and there, especially when I wake up in the morning," he said. "You have to take it slow and give yourself more time to try to loosen up.
"Hitting shots my body is not moving as freely and I can't practise as much as I need to, but I have to live with that for the time being."
However, Lawrie said: "His iron play is just outstanding and he's the best we've got on this tour at making pars from a poor tee shot.
"There's no question about that and it's a pleasure to see him playing, never mind playing well."
England's Danny Willett, a member of the GB&I Walker Cup team two years ago, would have been alongside them but finished with a bogey 6 - like Lafeber and Hansen.
SCOREBOARD
Par 144 (2x72). 7316yd.
136 Paul Lawrie 67 69
138 Jonathan Caldwell 72 66, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 71 67, Daniel Vancsik (Arg) 69 69.
139 Jose-Maria Olazabal (Spa) 71 68, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 69 70, Soren Hansen (Den) 69 70, Michael Jonzon (Swe) 70 69, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 70 69
140 Phillip Archer 71 69, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 72 68, Chinnarat Phadungsil (Tha) 70 70
141 Alexandre Rocha (Bra) 72 69, Danny Lee (Nzl) 71 70, Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 70 71, Ake Nilsson (Rsa) 68 73, Oliver Wilson 73 68, Wade Ormsby (Aus) 68 73, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 72 69
142 Patrik Sjoland (Swe) 70 72, Gareth Maybin 69 73, Francois Delamontagne (Fra) 73 69, Alan McLean 69 73, Stephen Leaney (Aus) 71 71, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 70 72, Simon Khan 70 72, Gary Murphy 73 69, Eirik Tage Johansen (Nor) 72 70, Bradley Dredge 75 67, Ross McGowan 74 68
143 Wil Besseling (Ned) 73 70, Alexander Noren (Swe) 69 74, Stephen Dodd 73 70, Richard Finch 73 70, Pelle Edberg (Swe) 72 71, Pablo Martin (Spa) 72 71, Graeme Storm 69 74
144 David Carter 74 70, Christian Cevaer (Fra) 69 75, Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 73 71, Richie Ramsay 71 73, Gary Orr 73 71, Damien McGrane 72 72, Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 74 70, Colin Montgomerie 76 68, Steven O'Hara 68 76, Simon Dyson 76 68, Anthony Wall 69 75, David Dixon 76 68, Inder Van Weerelt (Ned) 73 71, Gregory Havret (Fra) 68 76, Richie Ramsay 71 73, Chris Doak 72 72.
MISSED THE CUT
145 Carlos Del Moral (Spa) 77 68, Michael Campbell (Nzl) 74 71, Andrew Coltart 70 75, Birgir Hafthorsson (Ice) 72 73, Klas Eriksson (Swe) 71 74, Scott Drummond 75 70, Lee Slattery 73 72, Callum Macaulay 71 74, Taco Remkes (Ned) 72 73, Shane Lowry 74 71, Matthew Millar (Aus) 69 76, Richard Green (Aus) 74 71, Alastair Forsyth 74 71, Marc Warren 76 69.
146 Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 75 71, James Kingston (Rsa) 74 72, David Howell 71 75, Phillip Price 75 71, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 74 72, Santiago Luna (Spa) 70 76, Terry Pilkadaris (Aus) 73 73, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 74 72, Chris Kelly 77 69, Craig Lee 75 71, David Orr 73 73.
147 Robert Dinwiddie 76 71, John Bickerton 74 73, Peter Lawrie 76 71, Mark Brown (Nzl) 73 74, Jorge Campillo (Spa) 74 73, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 76 71, Mark Foster 71 76, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 71 76, David Drysdale 76 71.
148 Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 75 73, Alvaro Velasco (Spa) 77 71, Joost Luiten (Ned) 73 75, Rafael Echenique (Arg) 75 73, Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia (Ind) 74 74, Simon Wakefield 76 72, Marco Ruiz (Par) 75 73, Iain Pyman 77 71, Andrew Marshall 74 74, Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 71 77, Tano Goya (Arg) 75 73, Paul McKechnie 75 73.
149 Brett Rumford (Aus) 76 73, Alessandro Tadini (Ita) 73 76, Stuart Manley 76 73, Alfredo Garcia-Heredia (Spa) 75 74, Paul McGinley 72 77, Oliver Fisher 78 71, Seve Benson 75 74
150 Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 76 74, Barry Lane 76 74
151 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 75 76, Zane Scotland 74 77, Ulrich Van Den Berg (Rsa) 82 69, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 76 75, Stephen Gray 76 75.
152 Greig Hutcheon 77 75, Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 76 76, Miles Tunnicliff 77 75, Kane Webber (Aus) 76 76
153 Roope Kakko (Fin) 78 75, Marcel Siem (Ger) 75 78, Marc Cayeux (Zim) 80 73
154 Jamie McLeary 75 79, Scott Barr (Aus) 81 73, Edward Thomson 80 74, Branden Grace (Rsa) 79 75
155 Benn Barham 77 78, Paul Broadhurst 73 82
156 Stuart Davis 76 80
158 Jason McCreadie 81 77, Thomas Bjorn (Den) 82 76
159 Jeppe Huldahl (Den) 79 80
162 Chris Russell 80 82
Withdrew: Robert Arnott 83 -.
bay over final two rounds at Gleneagles?
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Paul Lawrie has a chance to achieve something at The Johnnie Walker Championships at The Gleneagles Hotel which has even eluded Tiger Woods so far.
Only two players - David J Russell in 1992 and Jesper Parnevik three years later - have ever gone through an event in The European Tour without dropping a stroke.
Woods failed to join them on the very last hole of the 2002 World Golf Championships - American Express World Championship at Mount Juliet Golf & Spa Hotel in Ireland, but Lawrie is halfway there after adding a 69 to his opening 67 at The Gleneagles Hotel.
The 40 year old Aberdonian, winner of the 1999 Open Championship at Carnoustie, stands at eight under par 136 and now leads by two from Northern Ireland rookie Jonathan Caldwell, Dutchman Maarten Lafeber and big hitting Argentinian Daniel Vancsik.
"I wasn't in trouble a lot, but when I had to I obviously kept the round going, which you have to do when you have no bogeys," said Lawrie after doubling his first day advantage.
"I've been prone to the odd hook in my career and I've certainly got rid of that the last couple of days.
"I missed a few putts, but I'm very pleased with the way I hit it again. Overall you're not going to grumble, but I'm a golfer and you always grumble!"
Lafeber, in the group just two shots back from Lawrie, expressed a modicum of disappointment with his position.
“I should have shot a lot lower,” said Lafeber. “I hardly missed a shot and I just hit one mediocre shot, a poor tee shot on nine.
“Apart from that, I had so many putts, and I missed a four footer on the second for birdie.”
Vancsik won the BMW Italian Open in May, while Lafeber's only title on The European Tour came in his home country six years ago.
Vancsik admitted consistency would be key if he were to challenge Lawrie’s lead through the rest of the weekend.
“I'm hitting the ball much better now, but in Italy my putter was working well and I was making every one.
“Maybe if I have patient and my putting is working well this weekend, I'll have a chance. I was really lucky in the draw. Yesterday was perfect to play and today there was just a little bit of breeze but not too much. I think it's good luck.”
One fellow competitor certainly impressed by Lawrie's display - and it was mutual - was playing partner Jose Maria Olazabal.
Olazabal is in a tie for fifth with Ryder Cup Dane Soren Hansen, Indian Shiv Kapur and France's Gregory Bourdy.
Olazabal was delighted with his own efforts, especially five birdies in the first six holes, given that he is suffering more problems with rheumatism.
"I have a little bit of pain here and there, especially when I wake up in the morning," he said. "You have to take it slow and give yourself more time to try to loosen up.
"Hitting shots my body is not moving as freely and I can't practise as much as I need to, but I have to live with that for the time being."
However, Lawrie said: "His iron play is just outstanding and he's the best we've got on this tour at making pars from a poor tee shot.
"There's no question about that and it's a pleasure to see him playing, never mind playing well."
England's Danny Willett, a member of the GB&I Walker Cup team two years ago, would have been alongside them but finished with a bogey 6 - like Lafeber and Hansen.
SCOREBOARD
Par 144 (2x72). 7316yd.
136 Paul Lawrie 67 69
138 Jonathan Caldwell 72 66, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 71 67, Daniel Vancsik (Arg) 69 69.
139 Jose-Maria Olazabal (Spa) 71 68, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 69 70, Soren Hansen (Den) 69 70, Michael Jonzon (Swe) 70 69, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 70 69
140 Phillip Archer 71 69, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 72 68, Chinnarat Phadungsil (Tha) 70 70
141 Alexandre Rocha (Bra) 72 69, Danny Lee (Nzl) 71 70, Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 70 71, Ake Nilsson (Rsa) 68 73, Oliver Wilson 73 68, Wade Ormsby (Aus) 68 73, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 72 69
142 Patrik Sjoland (Swe) 70 72, Gareth Maybin 69 73, Francois Delamontagne (Fra) 73 69, Alan McLean 69 73, Stephen Leaney (Aus) 71 71, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 70 72, Simon Khan 70 72, Gary Murphy 73 69, Eirik Tage Johansen (Nor) 72 70, Bradley Dredge 75 67, Ross McGowan 74 68
143 Wil Besseling (Ned) 73 70, Alexander Noren (Swe) 69 74, Stephen Dodd 73 70, Richard Finch 73 70, Pelle Edberg (Swe) 72 71, Pablo Martin (Spa) 72 71, Graeme Storm 69 74
144 David Carter 74 70, Christian Cevaer (Fra) 69 75, Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 73 71, Richie Ramsay 71 73, Gary Orr 73 71, Damien McGrane 72 72, Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 74 70, Colin Montgomerie 76 68, Steven O'Hara 68 76, Simon Dyson 76 68, Anthony Wall 69 75, David Dixon 76 68, Inder Van Weerelt (Ned) 73 71, Gregory Havret (Fra) 68 76, Richie Ramsay 71 73, Chris Doak 72 72.
MISSED THE CUT
145 Carlos Del Moral (Spa) 77 68, Michael Campbell (Nzl) 74 71, Andrew Coltart 70 75, Birgir Hafthorsson (Ice) 72 73, Klas Eriksson (Swe) 71 74, Scott Drummond 75 70, Lee Slattery 73 72, Callum Macaulay 71 74, Taco Remkes (Ned) 72 73, Shane Lowry 74 71, Matthew Millar (Aus) 69 76, Richard Green (Aus) 74 71, Alastair Forsyth 74 71, Marc Warren 76 69.
146 Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 75 71, James Kingston (Rsa) 74 72, David Howell 71 75, Phillip Price 75 71, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 74 72, Santiago Luna (Spa) 70 76, Terry Pilkadaris (Aus) 73 73, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 74 72, Chris Kelly 77 69, Craig Lee 75 71, David Orr 73 73.
147 Robert Dinwiddie 76 71, John Bickerton 74 73, Peter Lawrie 76 71, Mark Brown (Nzl) 73 74, Jorge Campillo (Spa) 74 73, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 76 71, Mark Foster 71 76, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 71 76, David Drysdale 76 71.
148 Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 75 73, Alvaro Velasco (Spa) 77 71, Joost Luiten (Ned) 73 75, Rafael Echenique (Arg) 75 73, Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia (Ind) 74 74, Simon Wakefield 76 72, Marco Ruiz (Par) 75 73, Iain Pyman 77 71, Andrew Marshall 74 74, Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 71 77, Tano Goya (Arg) 75 73, Paul McKechnie 75 73.
149 Brett Rumford (Aus) 76 73, Alessandro Tadini (Ita) 73 76, Stuart Manley 76 73, Alfredo Garcia-Heredia (Spa) 75 74, Paul McGinley 72 77, Oliver Fisher 78 71, Seve Benson 75 74
150 Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 76 74, Barry Lane 76 74
151 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 75 76, Zane Scotland 74 77, Ulrich Van Den Berg (Rsa) 82 69, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 76 75, Stephen Gray 76 75.
152 Greig Hutcheon 77 75, Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 76 76, Miles Tunnicliff 77 75, Kane Webber (Aus) 76 76
153 Roope Kakko (Fin) 78 75, Marcel Siem (Ger) 75 78, Marc Cayeux (Zim) 80 73
154 Jamie McLeary 75 79, Scott Barr (Aus) 81 73, Edward Thomson 80 74, Branden Grace (Rsa) 79 75
155 Benn Barham 77 78, Paul Broadhurst 73 82
156 Stuart Davis 76 80
158 Jason McCreadie 81 77, Thomas Bjorn (Den) 82 76
159 Jeppe Huldahl (Den) 79 80
162 Chris Russell 80 82
Withdrew: Robert Arnott 83 -.
Labels: EUROPEAN TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Friday, August 28, 2009
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