STEEN TINNING SHOOTSA 63 TO TAKE LEAD AT ENGLISH SENIOR OPEN
SENIOR TOUR REPORT FROM
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
A
flawless nine under par 63 put Denmark’s Steen Tinning in pole position
to claim his second victory of the season at the English Senior Open.
The
50 year old rookie, who won his maiden European Senior Tour title at
the Berenberg Masters in August, would most probably ascend to the top
of the Order of Merit with just three events of the season remaining
were he to triumph at Rockliffe
Hall on Sunday and he has every chance of doing just that after a
formidable display of golf on Saturday.
Tinning’s
heroics saw him seize a two shot lead over a trio of Spaniards with 18
holes to come as Santiago Luna moved into second alone after a second
successive 67, a further two shots clear of countrymen Miguel Angel
Martin (66) and Jose
Manuel Carriles (69).
With
more sunshine and excellent crowds at Rockliffe Hall for Moving Day,
Tinning put on a box office performance in County Durham as a blistering
back nine of just 30 blows – including a run of four birdies and an
eagle at the long 12th
in the space of six holes – helped him into a dominant position.
“Golf
is a funny thing,” said Tinning “Yesterday I hit the ball really well
and didn’t make any putts whereas today I was struggling a little with
my long game, didn’t get irons going that well, but putted so much
better and holed a lot
of them after finding the sweet spot.
“To
be honest, I didn’t think anyone would be capable of hitting this score
on Wednesday when I saw the course for the first time because it's a
fantastic test of golf.
“That
definitely ranks up there in terms of my best competitive rounds. This
year I have done well without ever really going low. I’ve felt like my
game has been capable of doing that but it just hasn’t all come together
– until now.”
Tinning
is just €12,912 behind current rankings leader Paul Wesselingh with the
season drawing towards its climax as the Copenhagen native chases not
only the Rookie of the Year title but a maiden John Jacobs Trophy too.
“I
would love to be on top of the Order of Merit, it’s what I’ve been
working for,” he continued. “Whether that’s tomorrow or in three weeks’
time, I would love to do it.
“I’ve
dealt with that in my mind and I think that is why I am relaxed this
week. My philosophy all year has been to go and play a good round of
golf and let’s see where it takes me and I think that’s one reason I
didn’t get nervous today.”
Overnight
leader Peter Mitchell did not fare so well on Saturday as a four over
par 76 left him in a tie for 15th place – ten shots off the lead.
Rockliffe
Hall chairman Warwick Brindle commented: "There was a real buzz at the
back of the 18th as Steen was building his round. His back nine of 30
was electrifying and everyone here is thrilled that he's set a new
course record this
weekend. It has been a great day's golf and everything is set
perfectly for an exciting climax tomorrow."
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
132 S Tinning (Den) 69 63
134 S Luna (Esp) 67 67
136 M Martin (Esp) 70 66, J Carriles (Esp) 67 69
137 D Russell (Eng) 68 69, G Manson (Aut) 70 67, P Eales (Eng) 70 67
138 A Oldcorn (Sco) 70 68, P Golding (Eng) 70 68
139 C Williams (RSA) 69 70
140 P Wesselingh (Eng) 70 70, M Harwood (Aus) 70 70
141 M Cunning (USA) 70 71, R Drummond (Sco) 71 70
142
G Emerson (Eng) 70 72, P Mitchell (Eng) 66 76, G Norquist (USA) 70 72, J
Quiros (Esp) 69 73, G Brand (Eng) 67 75, W Grant (Eng) 69 73
143
R Gibson (Can) 72 71, D Hospital (Esp) 71 72, B Lane (Eng) 71 72, M
James (Eng) 70 73, S Van Vuuren (RSA) 70 73, P Walton (Irl) 73 70
144 H Buhrmann (RSA) 76 68, P Fowler (Aus) 75 69, G Brand Jnr (Sco) 72 72
145 P Curry (Eng) 74 71, D Smyth (Irl) 73 72, K Spurgeon (Eng) 72 73, M Farry (Fra) 72 73
146
J Harrison (Eng) 75 71, D James (Sco) 73 73, G Wolstenholme (Eng) 73
73, J Lindberg (Swe) 74 72, J Laforce (Can) 72 74, S Brown (Eng) 73 73
147
A Fernandez (Chi) 72 75, H Carbonetti (Arg) 74 73, L Carbonetti (Arg)
72 75, G Bell (Eng) 70 77, B Cameron (Eng) 75 72, N Job (Eng) 73 74, T
Charnley (Eng) 77 70, A Franco (Par) 73 74
148 B Longmuir (Sco) 72 76, R Roper (Eng) 75 73, J Rivero (Esp) 72 76, G Ralph (Eng) 71 77, T Thelen (USA) 74 74
149
B Lincoln (RSA) 77 72, D Durnian (Eng) 74 75, M McLean (Eng) 76 73, S
Cipa (Eng) 73 76, M Wharton (Eng) 72 77, G Ryall (Eng) 75 74, S
McAllister (Sco) 74 75, P Linhart (Esp) 74 75
150 T Price (Aus) 70 80, M Belsham (Eng) 74 76, D Westermark (Swe) 78 72, P Jonas (Can) 75 75
151 A Sherborne (Eng) 77 74, S Bennett (Eng) 78 73, D O'Sullivan (Irl) 74 77
152 J Bruner (USA) 76 76
153 P Way (Eng) 74 79
155 J Gould (Eng) 81 74, R Thompson (USA) 79 76
159 G Banister (Aus) 80 79
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Labels: SENIOR PROS
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