BILL LONGMUIR LEAPS INTO SHARE OF SECOND PLACE

FROM MICHAEL GIBBONS
European Senior Tour Press Officer

Scotland’s Bill Longmuir leapt into contention at the European Senior Tour’s Pon Senior Open after a fine six under par 66 saw him charge up the leaderboard and into a share of second place.

On a day of improved conditions at Winston Golf, the Scot took full advantage to power his way through the field to share second spot with England’s Glenn Ralph on eight under, three shots behind Terry Price of Australia going into the final round.

Longmuir credited his outstanding performance to a change of putter that made a huge difference in his performance on the greens.

“I changed my putter during the last round last week and shot 69 and that was a real boost for me because I have been in the doldrums with the putter recently,” said Longmuir.

“You only have to look at the stats to see how bad it has been, so last week it felt so good to start making putts and it has continued this week. I just feel so much more stable over the ball.

“It is an old putter that I used before and I just went back to it and started making them again. I have had it about six years – it was the putter that I used at Stapleford Park when I won round there with 20 under par so I have some great memories of it.

“You never know tomorrow – hopefully I can get close to a 66 again and if I can do that then I will have a chance to win. It would be nice to get over the line because it has been a pretty dry period for me recently.”

The four 66s of Price, Longmuir, Ralph and fourth-placed Marc Farry were the most impressive scores of the day in Germany, but one man who did not take advantage of the improved conditions was home favourite Bernhard Langer.

The German legend had kept himself in contention on five under until he reached the recording area, where, before signing his second round score card, he learned that he had taken a wrong drop on his 18^th hole (the par five ninth) and had to change his bogey six to a triple bogey eight.

That meant Langer fell back to three under – eight behind runaway leader Price.

Ross Drummond will retain a slight hope going into the final round, but will be lamenting the double bogey seven he ran up on the par five 14^th that kept him at the same score he began round two with – five under par. Andrew Oldcorn is one stroke behind Drummond on four under after a second round 69.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

Par 144 (2x72) Yardage 6,844

 

133 T Price (Aus) 67 66;

136 B Longmuir (Sco) 70 66; G Ralph (Eng) 70 66

137 M Farry (Fra) 71 66

138 M Harwood (Aus) 69 69; G Norquist (USA) 71 67

139 R Drummond (Sco) 67 72; D Smyth (Irl) 71 68; K Spurgeon (Eng) 70 69; P Golding (Eng) 70 69; A Sherborne (Eng) 71 68

140 G Wolstenholme (Eng) 74 66; P Curry (Eng) 70 70; A Oldcorn (Sco) 71 69; B Lane (Eng) 73 67; S Van Vuuren (RSA) 70 70; D Merriman (Aus) 72 68

141 S McAllister (Sco) 71 70; J Harrison (Eng) 73 68; A Franco (Par) 72 69; B Langer (Ger) 68 73

142 P Mitchell (Eng) 74 68; J Bruner (USA) 71 71; N Job (Eng) 73 69; M Martin (Esp) 71 71; G Brand (Eng) 69 73; G Banister (Aus) 70 72

143 J Hall (Eng) 72 71; A Forsbrand (Swe) 72 71; T Elliott (Aus) 73 70; M Cunning (USA) 70 73; J Quiros (Esp) 72 71; S Cipa (Eng) 73 70; C Mason (Eng) 71 72; D Durnian (Eng) 72 71; Z Martinez (USA) 69 74;

144 P Fowler (Aus) 72 72; T Giedeon (Ger) 70 74; L Carbonetti (Arg) 76 68; R Sabarros (Fra) 73 71; R Gibson (Can) 71 73; B Lincoln (RSA) 74 70

145 P Wesselingh (Eng) 77 68; B Cameron (Eng) 73 72

146 C Williams (RSA) 74 72; N Ratcliffe (Aus) 73 73; M Belsham (Eng) 69 77; J Gould (Eng) 75 71; E Darcy (Irl) 74 72; D O'Sullivan (Irl) 75 71;

147 G Manson (Aut) 73 74; J Chillas (Sco) 71 76; M Piñero (Esp) 74 73; M Mouland (Wal) 72 75; T Johnstone (Zim) 71 76;

148 A Fernandez (Chi) 74 74; G Brand Jnr (Sco) 78 70; R Davis (Aus) 78 70; G Cali (Ita) 74 74; J Rhodes (Eng) 73 75; P Smith (Sco) 75 73

149 T Thelen (USA) 74 75; G Ryall (Eng) 76 73; B Ruangkit (Tha) 74 75

150 D Hospital (Esp) 77 73

151 P Dahlberg (Swe) 79 72; M Gray (Sco) 78 73; B Smit (RSA) 77 74; D Russell (Eng) 76 75

152 P Walton (Irl) 75 77

156 A Garrido (Esp) 78 78

157 T Burgoyne (Sco) 83 74