RORY McILROY IN FOUR-WAY SHARE OF LEAD IN SWITZERLAND
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Joint leader Rory McIlroy is enjoying the thrill of competing with some of The European Tour’s brightest stars at the top of the Omega European Masters leaderboard in Switzerland. The US Open champion fired a second round 69 at Crans-sur-Sierre to join Irish Open winner Simon Dyson, his fellow Englishman Gary Boyd and Welshman Jamie Donaldson on eight under.
World No 5 Martin Kaymer is among those only one further back, along with overnight leader Nick Dougherty – who will feature at the weekend for the first time in 22 starts – as well as South African Jaco Van Zyl, England’s Danny Willett and Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti, while World No 2 Lee Westwood is a shot further back on six under par.
“To have the top guys up there – Lee’s at six, Martin’s at seven and I’m at eight, it’s a great leaderboard,” said McIlroy.
“Then you have Simon Dyson who won in Ireland and Gary Boyd who is looking for his first win and is playing well recently and Jamie Donaldson is very consistent all year. It’s a good leaderboard and great to see the top guys up at the head of affairs. Hopefully we can play some good golf over the weekend and give the crowd some excitement.”
McIlroy believed his round could have been even better, adding: "I gave myself a lot of chances and wasn't able to convert them, which was pretty frustrating.”
The 22 year old Northern Irishman, back in action three weeks after injuring his arm against a tree root at the US PGA Championship, made an eagle two on the driveable seventh, but gave the strokes back with a seven at the long ninth, driving into trouble and then three-putting from only four feet.
His only deviation from par on the back nine was a birdie at the 516 yard 15th, and even there he missed a 14 foot eagle opportunity.
Dyson, trying to follow up his Irish Open success a month ago, shot 68 and commented: "I played solid again and if I keep on like that hopefully I will be right in the mix again.
"The game's as good as it's ever been."
Dougherty, only too aware that he had missed his previous 21 cuts going back to last November, added a 72 to his opening 63.
That dropped the 29 year old to joint fifth, but only a stroke behind as he tries to re-ignite his career and save himself from a return to Qualifying School at the end of the season.
Dougherty admitted: "I had two things in my head - the tournament and getting the monkey of not making a cut off my back.
"I didn't play as well and I had a few iffy breaks, but I suppose you get what you deserve.
"Hopefully I can play with a bit more flair and flamboyance tomorrow. It was a little cagey."
Meanwhile Boyd (69) and Donaldson (66) are chasing their first European Tour titles, but while 24 year old Boyd is in just his second full season on the circuit, 35 year old Donaldson has played approaching 250 events going back a decade.
Joint leader Rory McIlroy is enjoying the thrill of competing with some of The European Tour’s brightest stars at the top of the Omega European Masters leaderboard in Switzerland. World No 5 Martin Kaymer is among those only one further back, along with overnight leader Nick Dougherty – who will feature at the weekend for the first time in 22 starts – as well as South African Jaco Van Zyl, England’s Danny Willett and Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti, while World No 2 Lee Westwood is a shot further back on six under par.
“To have the top guys up there – Lee’s at six, Martin’s at seven and I’m at eight, it’s a great leaderboard,” said McIlroy.
“Then you have Simon Dyson who won in Ireland and Gary Boyd who is looking for his first win and is playing well recently and Jamie Donaldson is very consistent all year. It’s a good leaderboard and great to see the top guys up at the head of affairs. Hopefully we can play some good golf over the weekend and give the crowd some excitement.”
McIlroy believed his round could have been even better, adding: "I gave myself a lot of chances and wasn't able to convert them, which was pretty frustrating.”
The 22 year old Northern Irishman, back in action three weeks after injuring his arm against a tree root at the US PGA Championship, made an eagle two on the driveable seventh, but gave the strokes back with a seven at the long ninth, driving into trouble and then three-putting from only four feet.
His only deviation from par on the back nine was a birdie at the 516 yard 15th, and even there he missed a 14 foot eagle opportunity.
Dyson, trying to follow up his Irish Open success a month ago, shot 68 and commented: "I played solid again and if I keep on like that hopefully I will be right in the mix again.
"The game's as good as it's ever been."
Dougherty, only too aware that he had missed his previous 21 cuts going back to last November, added a 72 to his opening 63.
That dropped the 29 year old to joint fifth, but only a stroke behind as he tries to re-ignite his career and save himself from a return to Qualifying School at the end of the season.
Dougherty admitted: "I had two things in my head - the tournament and getting the monkey of not making a cut off my back.
"I didn't play as well and I had a few iffy breaks, but I suppose you get what you deserve.
"Hopefully I can play with a bit more flair and flamboyance tomorrow. It was a little cagey."
Meanwhile Boyd (69) and Donaldson (66) are chasing their first European Tour titles, but while 24 year old Boyd is in just his second full season on the circuit, 35 year old Donaldson has played approaching 250 events going back a decade.
Former World Nos Kaymer and Westwood are only one and two shots back respectively.
Kaymer, round in 70 after double-bogeying the 16th when leading, was pleading for the sort of luck that playing partner Louis Oosthuizen had on the long 14th.
Last year's Open Champion was heading out of bounds with his second shot when it struck a photographer. He birdied the hole and made the cut with nothing to spare at two under.
Westwood had a 69, while current Open champion Darren Clarke - out of bounds for his double bogey on the fourth - fell back to four under with a 71.
LEADING HALFWAY SCORES
Par 142 (2x71)
134 Simon Dyson (England) 66 68, Gary Boyd (England) 65 69, Jamie Donaldson (Wales) 68 66, Rory McIlroy (N Ireland) 65 69.
135 Nick Dougherty (England) 63 72, Danny Willett (England) 71 64, Martin Kaymer (Germany) 65 70, Jaco Van Zyl (S Africa) 67 68, Fabrizio Zanotti (Paraguay) 69 66
SCOTS' SCORES
136 Stephen Gallacher 70 66 (T10)
138 Paul Lawrie 69 69 (T24()
139 George Murray 70 69, Gary Orr 69 70 (T39)
140 Richie Ramsay 70 70, Streven O'Hara 73 67 (T52).
MISSED THE CUT (140 or better qualified)
142 Peter Whiteford 74 68, Colin Montgomerie 76 66
144 Marc Warren 75 69
145 David Drysdale 68 77
154 Scott Jamieson 75 79.
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES AND SCORECARDS ON THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
CLICK HERE
Par 142 (2x71)
134 Simon Dyson (England) 66 68, Gary Boyd (England) 65 69, Jamie Donaldson (Wales) 68 66, Rory McIlroy (N Ireland) 65 69.
135 Nick Dougherty (England) 63 72, Danny Willett (England) 71 64, Martin Kaymer (Germany) 65 70, Jaco Van Zyl (S Africa) 67 68, Fabrizio Zanotti (Paraguay) 69 66
SCOTS' SCORES
136 Stephen Gallacher 70 66 (T10)
138 Paul Lawrie 69 69 (T24()
139 George Murray 70 69, Gary Orr 69 70 (T39)
140 Richie Ramsay 70 70, Streven O'Hara 73 67 (T52).
MISSED THE CUT (140 or better qualified)
142 Peter Whiteford 74 68, Colin Montgomerie 76 66
144 Marc Warren 75 69
145 David Drysdale 68 77
154 Scott Jamieson 75 79.
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES AND SCORECARDS ON THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
CLICK HERE
Labels: EUROPEAN TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Friday, September 02, 2011
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