ANTHONY WALL LEADS SICILIAN OPEN BY TWO STROKES
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Anthony Wall’s second round 67 put him in pole position - two shots clear of the field - to win €166,660 at the Sicilian Open – with the help of a 59p investment.
The Englishman attributed his bogey-free effort, which saw him reach the halfway stage nine under par, to improved putting, aided by an iphone application.
“There are two things here,” said Wall. “The first one is that I asked Tony Johnstone to have a look at my stroke when I was at Sunningdale last week and he gave me a nice lesson and a couple of tips that have really helped me.
“And then I bought a Dave Stockton (US PGA Tour player) iphone app about reading greens and that is the best 59 pence I have ever spent because his tips have really simplified a few things for me.
“I have just been looking at the low side of every putt for the last two days – really concentrating on the last third of the putt as opposed to the whole putt and that has definitely helped me. I haven’t holed everything but I have hit my putts a lot better.
“It was a bargain, I have to say – you don’t get many valuable lessons for 59 pence these days! The thing about Dave Stockton is that he is and always was an amazing putter and you tend to listen to those guys a bit more.”
Wall, whose only European Tour title came back in 2000, carded two birdies on the front nine and added an eagle at the par five 12th.
“I have played great for the last two days so they have been relatively easy,” he said. “This is a tough golf course and I have played really well again today.
“I haven’t really had a tough par putt for the last two days and that tells you how well I have been playing. If I can stay strong mentally then I should have a good chance to win here.”
Wall leads Australian Richard Green and France's Raphaël Jacquelin by two shots at Donnafugata Golf Resort and Spa.
Left-hander Green - at 64th the highest world ranked player in the field this week - had six birdies in his 67 but a double bogey at the tenth denied him a share of the lead
Jacquelin played 32 holes without dropping a shot, but when he did he lost two with a double bogey at the sixth. However, he closed with two birdies in his last three holes to remain well in contention.
All three took advantage of more benign morning conditions, with first round joint-leader Stephen Dodd’s 72 giving him a share of fourth with Swede Oscar Floren, Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti, Spain’s Alejandro Cañizares and Marco Crespi – who looks to be carrying home hopes into the weekend.
SCOTSWATCH
Colin Montgomerie also looks on course for his best finish since captaining Europe to Ryder Cup glory.The eight-time Order of Merit winner was bogey-free as he completed a second-straight 69 to claim a share of ninth on four under.
The Scot has not had a top-ten finish since the 2008 Open de France ALSTOM, and his efforts were all the more impressive considering he was under the weather.
“Not feeling very well - terrible flu, so I did well today,” he said. “That was ok to not drop a shot.
“I haven’t dropped a shot since the first two holes of round one, things are looking up.
“I’m never ill, never ill. Never missed a game because I’ve been ill. I’ve missed a tournament because I had a bad back but never through illness and I’m not going to start now.
“I’ve never missed a day’s work through illness - typical Scot. I’ve not started this year but beginning to feel it’s coming back again.”
In all, nine of the 11 Scottish entrants beat the halfway cut (144 or better qualified). Only Steven O'Hara, who ironically had a 70 in the second round), and Gary Orr missed out, both one shot too many on 145.
Lloyd Saltman had one of the best outward halves of the week - 31 - but he required 39 shots to come home for a 70 to join George Murray (69) and Alastair Forsyth (71) joint 46th on 143.
Paul Lawrie is the second Scot in the standings, tied in 20th place on 140 after adding a 68 (35-33) to his opening 72.
Paul sums up his day on his website:
"I shot 68 (-3) this morning with three birdies and no bogeys. I hit a lot of fairways and greens but holed nothing. The longest putt I holed was a six- footer on the 14th.
"I certainly didn't putt poorly but just didn't hole any. I struggled to get the ball to the hole. The greens are slow as high winds were forecast. I hit balls and I'm now back in my room watching a DVD.
"My playing partner Richard Green bent his putter on our first hole, meaning he couldn't use it after that (been there, done that!). It didn't affect him as he made six birdies putting with his gap wedge."
The other Scot to qualify was Marc Warren with nothing to spare after a pair of 72s for 144.
Scott Jamieson (70) and Stephen Gallacher (70) are sharing 27th place on 1451 - a shot ahead of Peter Whiteford who had a second-round 68 to hit the 142 mark and gain a share of 35th place.
Anthony Wall’s second round 67 put him in pole position - two shots clear of the field - to win €166,660 at the Sicilian Open – with the help of a 59p investment.
The Englishman attributed his bogey-free effort, which saw him reach the halfway stage nine under par, to improved putting, aided by an iphone application.
“There are two things here,” said Wall. “The first one is that I asked Tony Johnstone to have a look at my stroke when I was at Sunningdale last week and he gave me a nice lesson and a couple of tips that have really helped me.
“And then I bought a Dave Stockton (US PGA Tour player) iphone app about reading greens and that is the best 59 pence I have ever spent because his tips have really simplified a few things for me.
“I have just been looking at the low side of every putt for the last two days – really concentrating on the last third of the putt as opposed to the whole putt and that has definitely helped me. I haven’t holed everything but I have hit my putts a lot better.
“It was a bargain, I have to say – you don’t get many valuable lessons for 59 pence these days! The thing about Dave Stockton is that he is and always was an amazing putter and you tend to listen to those guys a bit more.”
Wall, whose only European Tour title came back in 2000, carded two birdies on the front nine and added an eagle at the par five 12th.
“I have played great for the last two days so they have been relatively easy,” he said. “This is a tough golf course and I have played really well again today.
“I haven’t really had a tough par putt for the last two days and that tells you how well I have been playing. If I can stay strong mentally then I should have a good chance to win here.”
Wall leads Australian Richard Green and France's Raphaël Jacquelin by two shots at Donnafugata Golf Resort and Spa.
Left-hander Green - at 64th the highest world ranked player in the field this week - had six birdies in his 67 but a double bogey at the tenth denied him a share of the lead
Jacquelin played 32 holes without dropping a shot, but when he did he lost two with a double bogey at the sixth. However, he closed with two birdies in his last three holes to remain well in contention.
All three took advantage of more benign morning conditions, with first round joint-leader Stephen Dodd’s 72 giving him a share of fourth with Swede Oscar Floren, Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti, Spain’s Alejandro Cañizares and Marco Crespi – who looks to be carrying home hopes into the weekend.
SCOTSWATCH
Colin Montgomerie also looks on course for his best finish since captaining Europe to Ryder Cup glory.The eight-time Order of Merit winner was bogey-free as he completed a second-straight 69 to claim a share of ninth on four under.
The Scot has not had a top-ten finish since the 2008 Open de France ALSTOM, and his efforts were all the more impressive considering he was under the weather.
“Not feeling very well - terrible flu, so I did well today,” he said. “That was ok to not drop a shot.
“I haven’t dropped a shot since the first two holes of round one, things are looking up.
“I’m never ill, never ill. Never missed a game because I’ve been ill. I’ve missed a tournament because I had a bad back but never through illness and I’m not going to start now.
“I’ve never missed a day’s work through illness - typical Scot. I’ve not started this year but beginning to feel it’s coming back again.”
In all, nine of the 11 Scottish entrants beat the halfway cut (144 or better qualified). Only Steven O'Hara, who ironically had a 70 in the second round), and Gary Orr missed out, both one shot too many on 145.
Lloyd Saltman had one of the best outward halves of the week - 31 - but he required 39 shots to come home for a 70 to join George Murray (69) and Alastair Forsyth (71) joint 46th on 143.
Paul Lawrie is the second Scot in the standings, tied in 20th place on 140 after adding a 68 (35-33) to his opening 72.
Paul sums up his day on his website:
"I shot 68 (-3) this morning with three birdies and no bogeys. I hit a lot of fairways and greens but holed nothing. The longest putt I holed was a six- footer on the 14th.
"I certainly didn't putt poorly but just didn't hole any. I struggled to get the ball to the hole. The greens are slow as high winds were forecast. I hit balls and I'm now back in my room watching a DVD.
"My playing partner Richard Green bent his putter on our first hole, meaning he couldn't use it after that (been there, done that!). It didn't affect him as he made six birdies putting with his gap wedge."
The other Scot to qualify was Marc Warren with nothing to spare after a pair of 72s for 144.
Scott Jamieson (70) and Stephen Gallacher (70) are sharing 27th place on 1451 - a shot ahead of Peter Whiteford who had a second-round 68 to hit the 142 mark and gain a share of 35th place.
Labels: EUROPEAN TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Friday, March 18, 2011
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