MOLINARI AND NOREN SHARE HALFWAY LEAD AT CASTLE STUART

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Francesco Molinari and Alex Noren share a one-shot lead going into the third round of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Castle Stuart Golf Links.
Italy's Molinari had a triple bogey 7 on the 464yd seventh to allow Swede Noren to join him out in front after a second successive 66 the day after his girlfriend Emelie won an event in Norway on his 30th birthday.
“It feels great,” said the three-time European Tour winner. “I really enjoyed it today again. I made a lot of birdies out there, and an eagle which helps a lot.
“My last nine holes I played really well the whole nine and it felt a lot better coming in with the 66 today than the 66 yesterday.”
Big things were expected of Noren when he won in Wales and in his home country last season, but he has not had a top-five finish since October and is trailing way behind in the Ryder Cup race.
WRONG FORECAST
"I think I'm not going to be on top at the end of the day," he said at lunchtime. But he was wrong.
On a congested leaderboard teenager Matteo Manassero, twice a winner on the European Tour already, is in the hunt for another victory - and a place in The Open Championship- after a 64 in Inverness.
With fellow Italian Molinari following up his first round 62 with a 70, Manassero's scintillating seven birdies in the last nine holes brought him only one off the lead.
The European Tour's youngest-ever champion could qualify for Royal Lytham next week with a top five finish, but his sights are on emulating what German Marcel Siem did at the Alstom Open de France last Sunday by winning to earn his spot.
"The Open is on my mind and this is my last chance," said the 19 year old from Verona, who stands 11 under par at halfway.
Manassero finished 13th at Turnberry three years ago and added: "I would really love to be in The Open. I like links golf and it has a special atmosphere."
HARD ACT TO FOLLOW
Molinari stated: "Following a 62 is never easy. I tried to do the same, but I knew it was going to be hard."
He and his young fellow countryman were at the same Italian restaurant on Thursday night and followed that with a trip to McDonalds for ice creams.
Now they are rivals for a first prize of €518,045 and a title won by Molinari's brother Edoardo two years ago.
Argentina's big-hitting Ricardo Gonzalez is joint third with Manassero, while World Number One and defending champion Luke Donald's bogey-free 68 means he has only three shots to make up and Phil Mickelson's 64 brought him just five back.
With 2009 winner Martin Kaymer alongside Donald and Padraig Harrington six under, the final 36 holes has all sorts of possibilities still.
Four-time Major champion Phil Mickelson fired himself back into contention with a superb second round 64, a flawless effort which featured six birdies and an eagle 2 at his first hole of the day, the 363yd 10th, where he pitched in from 60yd off the green.Ernie Els survived with nothing to spare at four under - only two off the lowest-ever cut on The European Tour.

MICKELSON'S FUN DAY

“It was a fun day today,” said the 42 year old American. “I got into the flow of the round and kept my focus throughout each shot which enabled me to put a round together which now gives me a chance going into the weekend.”

Fourteen Scots were eliminated, including former Open champion Paul Lawrie who was partnering Mickelson with whom he was level at the start of the round.
There was a hole-in-one at the 168-yard 11th for the second day running. England's Andrew Johnston won 168 bottles of champagne for being the first and Scot Peter Whiteford had to settle for one magnum.
"I'll have a word - maybe he can give me a couple," said Whiteford, who shot 65 to move to eight under.

SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
132 Alexandre Noren (Sweden) 66 66, Francesco Molinari (Italy) 62 70.
133 Ricardo Gonzalez (Argentina) 68 64, Matteo Manassero (Italy) 69 64
134 S S P Chowrasia (India) 67 67.
135 Anthony Wall (England) 67 68, )Peter Lawrie (Ireland) 66 68, Martin Kaymer (Germany) 67 68, Alejandro Canizares (Spain) 64 71, Matthew Baldwin (England) 67 68, Anders Hansen (Denmark) 68 67, Luke Dnald (England) 67 68, Shane Lowry (Ireland) 68 69, Thomas Aiken (South Africa) 68 67, Thorbjorn Olesen (Denmark) 70 65
136 Raphael Jacquelin (France) 65 71, Peter Whiteford (Scotland) 71 65, Jeev Milka Singh (India) 66 70
SELECTED SCORES
137 Phil Mickelson (US) 73 64, Marc Warren (Scotland) 68 69 (T19)
138 Martin Laird (Scotland) 68 70, Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 69 69.
139 Alastair Forsyth (Scotland) 71 68, Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) 69 70 (T47)
140 Steven O'Hara (Scotland) 68 72, Ernie Els (South Africa) 70 70, Marcel Siem (Germany) 71 69, Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) (am) 70 70.

DID NOT QUALIFY (140 and better qualified)

141 David Law (Scotland) 72 69, Craig Lee (scotland) 70 71, George Murray (Scotland) 72 69, Gary Orr (Scotland) 68 73.
142 Paul Lawrie (Scotland) 73 69, Scott Jamieson (Scotland) 69 73.
143 Sandy Lyle (Scotland) 70 73, Colin Montgomerie (Scotland) 72 72, David Drysdale (Scotland) 70 73.
145 James Byrne (Scotland) 71 74, Tom Lewis (England) 73 72.
147 Richie Ramsay (Scotland) 72 75
151 Brian Soutar (Leven GS) (am) 75 76
153 Stephen Gray (Scotland) 78 75
155 Michael Stewart (Scotland) 78 79.

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