DIFFERENT WIND, DIFFERENT PROBLEMS SORT THEM OUT AT BALGOWNIE

SCOT WARREN SHARES HALFWAY LEAD

AS BALGOWNIE LINKS BITE BACK  

REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Scotland’s Marc Warren will carry the hopes of a golfing nation into the weekend rounds of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club's Balgownie links. 

A fine second- round performance of two-under-par 69 in difficult conditions hoisted the Glaswegian, pictured below, into a share of the halfway lead on six-under-par 136 with Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez and Swede Kristoffer Broberg, both of whom followed up first-day 65s with par-matching 71s. After 8pm, Gonzalez ran up a double bogey 6 at the last when a par 4 would have given him a two-stroke lead.
With the wind turning 180 degrees from Thursday’s first round, the course presented a hugely different challenge to the star studded field. Royal Aberdeen members will tell you that the wind in your face coming home is Balgownie at its best/toughest.
That observation was perfectly highlighted by the contrasting fortunes of Rory McIlroy.
The Ulsterman followed his opening course record, tournament-leading seven-under 64 with a seven OVER par 78 to lie in a share for 34th place on level par 142. No 436yd drives on the second nine this time!
Defending champion Phil Mickelson is one better than McIlroy after a 73 for 141 while England’s Justin Rose sneaked into contention after an early 68 propelled the 2013 US Open Champion into fourth spot on five under 137. 
Key Quotes: 
Kristoffer Broberg “I had to stay patient out there, it was so tough. The back nine was brutal. I just tried to keep it low and stay calm. I’m in a good position for the weekend. I’m here to win.” Marc Warren “I am absolutely delighted with that. The front nine was offering a few more chances today, going with the wind, but then playing the back nine in one under was really good. It would be a very romantic tale to have a Scotsman winning here – it's a massive event, and I'm sure anybody would love to win this tournament, and being Scottish would make it that bit more special.” 
Justin Rose “If you had to choose one course for the rest of your life, it would be a links course, because it can be different every day. It was completely the opposite wind today. You had to make your score on the front nine instead of hanging on like you had to yesterday.
" I'm beginning to click back into gear. I'm beginning to see good shots and feel like I'm going to hit some good shots. This is a true test and I’m enjoying every minute.” 
Rory McIlroy “I didn't get off to the best start, obviously. I played okay and hit some good shots, but just wasn't getting the ball close enough. It was just one of those days that nothing really went right, and you know, I'm here for the weekend at least. 
"I'm only two shots off the top 10 somehow. I need go out tomorrow and go out early enough and try and shoot something similar to what I did the first day.” 
Phil Mickelson 
“It was tough and also fun to have those conditions. It was fun to turn back into nine holes playing into the wind. It was a real challenge. You have to hit different kinds of shots, and I actually played pretty well.
"I thought I made a couple loose swings and it cost me four shots. I hit three poor tee shots. It cost me four, but I fought hard all day to keep it around here. 
"It is very mentally draining playing out there, because it's such a tough test, and I'm a little concerned that it's taken up a little bit more energy than I would like for next week's Open. 
"But it's also a good opportunity to focus on some of the difficult shots that we'll have next week, so it kind of goes both ways.” 
Players with 36-hole totals of two-over 144 and better qualified for the third and fourth rounds.

COLIN FARQUHARSON'S SCOTSWATCH: Great effort by Marc Warren and I think he could cope with his co-leaders over the last two rounds - but Justin Rose, a shot behind, could be "your man" over the weekend.
Of the "locals," Greig Hutcheon (70-70) and Paul Lawrie (74-70) made the cut but Richie Ramsay (74-74) and David Law (78-72) did not.
Hutcheon, Tartan Tour supremo for the past couple of years and heading that way again in 2014, has always believed that, on a good day, he could hold his own on the European Tour.
A pair of 70s for joint eighth position at Balgownie substantiate that claim. Now it's up to Greig really to get in the mix over the final 36 holes. He's got the shots, he knows the course. All he needs is the self-confidence to believe he can make a run at the leaders.
In all, 11 Scots made the cut, which represents not a bad effort, given the calibre of the opposition.


SECOND ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 142 (2x71)
136 R Gonzalez (Arg) 65 71, M Warren (Sco) 67 69, K Broberg (Swe) 65 71
137 J Rose (Eng) 69 68
138 D Howell (Eng) 68 70
139 M Ilonen (Fin) 71 68, L Bjerregaard (Den) 70 69
140 T Hatton (Eng) 69 71, A Otaegui (Esp) 71 69, F Zanotti (Par) 70 70, R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 72 68, T Fleetwood (Eng) 70 70, P Casey (Eng) 69 71, M Hoey (Nir) 66 74, S Lowry (Irl) 72 68, L Donald (Eng) 67 73, S Kjeldsen (Den) 70 70, G Hutcheon (Sco) 70 70
141 P Waring (Eng) 75 66, S Khan (Eng) 70 71, C Lee (Sco) 72 69, R Bland (Eng) 67 74, P Mickelson (USA) 68 73, S Jamieson (Sco) 74 67, M Manassero (Ita) 69 72, T Aiken (RSA) 71 70, J Walker (USA) 71 70, M Foster (Eng) 71 70, T Lewis (Eng) 70 71, D Willett (Eng) 70 71, S Gallacher (Sco) 72 69, J Singh (Ind) 70 71, O Schniederjans (am) (USA) 71 70.
142 R Knox (Sco) 68 74, M Siem (Ger) 73 69, G Storm (Eng) 70 72, J Hahn (USA) 71 71, R Fowler (USA) 71 71, B Wiesberger (Aut) 74 68, A Quiros (Esp) 71 71, D Clarke (Nir) 69 73, P Larrazábal (Esp) 69 73, K Phelan (Irl) 69 73, R Karlsson (Swe) 71 71, R McIlroy (Nir) 64 78, M Ford (Eng) 75 67, T Jaidee (Tha) 71 71, M Jiménez (Esp) 74 68, R Palmer (USA) 70 72
143 M Carlsson (Swe) 71 72, A Forsyth (Sco) 70 73, N Fasth (Swe) 69 74, G Stal (Fra) 68 75, J Morrison (Eng) 71 72, T Björn (Den) 70 73, P Harrington (Irl) 71 72, G Coetzee (RSA) 73 70, J Luiten (Ned) 73 70, C Del Moral (Esp) 70 73, D Drysdale (Sco) 67 76, D McGrane (Irl) 71 72, M Laird (Sco) 70 73
144 G Maybin (Nir) 70 74, G Bhullar (Ind) 75 69, J Carlsson (Swe) 71 73, S Henry (Sco) 73 71, M Lundberg (Swe) 71 73, W Ormsby (Aus) 71 73, P Lawrie (Sco) 74 70, E Els (RSA) 73 71, R Santos (Por) 73 71, S Dyson (Eng) 71 73, S Kapur (Ind) 69 75, J Hansen (Den) 71 73, F Aguilar (Chi) 73 71, M Kieffer (Ger) 71 73, A Levy (Fra) 75 69, M Jones (Aus) 71 73
MISSED THE CUT
145 S Thornton (Irl) 73 72, C Wood (Eng) 71 74, J Kruger (RSA) 72 73, K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 73 72, L Westwood (Eng) 72 73, D Lynn (Eng) 74 71, M Baldwin (Eng) 72 73, E De La Riva (Esp) 73 72, S Webster (Eng) 71 74, S Kim (SKor) 72 73, K Stadler (USA) 74 71
146 M Cort (Eng) 75 71, P Whiteford (Sco) 76 70, T Levet (Fra) 75 71, E Molinari (Ita) 75 71, J Quesne (Fra) 73 73, V Riu (Fra) 74 72, L Oosthuizen (RSA) 75 71, D Huizing (Ned) 75 71, J Blixt (Swe) 74 72, Sir N Faldo (Eng) 73 73, R Fisher (Eng) 75 71, R Kakko (Fin) 73 73, N Colsaerts (Bel) 69 77
147 R Derksen (Ned) 73 74, F Molinari (Ita) 74 73, A Cañizares (Esp) 75 72, I Poulter (Eng) 73 74, G Bourdy (Fra) 73 74, P McGinley (Irl) 74 73, S Manley (Wal) 75 72, B Grace (RSA) 75 72, T Pieters (Bel) 71 76, J Jeong (SKor) 72 75
148 J Lima (Por) 76 72, J Donaldson (Wal) 74 74, R Wattel (Fra) 71 77, B Rumford (Aus) 75 73, R Green (Aus) 74 74, V Dubuisson (Fra) 71 77, R Jacquelin (Fra) 73 75, R Ramsay (Sco) 74 74, M Fitzpatrick (Eng) 69 79, N Elvira (Esp) 74 74
149 M Madsen (Den) 73 76, G Havret (Fra) 74 75, E Pepperell (Eng) 75 74, A Wall (Eng) 74 75, M Miller (USA) 76 73, M Nixon (Eng) 77 72, A Sullivan (Eng) 77 72, S Wakefield (Eng) 72 77, E Grillo (Arg) 77 72, J Campillo (Esp) 73 76
150 M Crespi (Ita) 75 75, D Brooks (Eng) 75 75, D Horsey (Eng) 74 76, D Law (Sco) 78 72, P Hanson (Swe) 76 74, A Gee (Eng) 74 76, R Sterne (RSA) 75 75, J Dantorp (Swe) 77 73
151 D Van Der Walt (RSA) 76 75, P Lawrie (Irl) 79 72
152 J McLeary (Sco) 74 78, B Koepka (USA) 75 77
153 A Saddier (Fra) 77 76, D Fichardt (RSA) 74 79 
154 J Parry (Eng) 76 78, R Rock (Eng) 81 73 
157 A Culverwell (Sco) (am) 76 81
158 J Olazábal (Esp) 81 77 
Retired: C Doak (Sco)

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS