EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS REPORT.
A
host of former European Tour and Challenge Tour champions will chase down Englishman
Andrew Johnston’s lead in an enthralling weekend at the Scottish
Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts, after he carded a stunning 65 to move one shot clear.
The
25 year old gathered eight birdies on the way to a six under par second
round which moved him to 11 under 131 for the tournament, a shot clear of
his compatriot Jason Barnes, who added a four under 67 to his opening
65 for 132
Johnston
is unlikely to be resting on his laurels heading into the weekend at
the beautiful Macdonald Spey Valley golf course, however, with a
leaderboard packed full of experienced champions including two multiple
European Tour winners in the shape of Bradley Dredge and Kenneth Ferrie.
They
were both just five off the pace on six under par while five champions
from the 2014 Challenge Tour season were also within touching distance
of the summit, including two-time winner Moritz Lampert of Germany and
Rankings leader Jordi Garcia Pinto of Spain – on six under and five
under, respectively.
Johnston
knows he must not think too far ahead but is happy with his game having
enjoyed a solid start to the season, with two top five finishes helping
him to 14th place in the Rankings heading into the week.
“I'm
really happy with my start this week,” said the Londoner. “Everything
feels solid at the moment and my game feels really good.
“My
form’s been good and I'm just trying to do the right things and just
keep plugging away. This course suits my game. You have to be good off
the tee and I'm driving it well. It means I do not ever need much club
going into the greens.
“You
have to hit it straight and hit the fairways and I've been doing that,
as well as hitting plenty of greens and giving myself plenty of chances.
“I'm
looking forward to the weekend, as always. I can’t wait to get out
there tomorrow. It’s good fun when you’re up there at the top and
hopefully there’ll be a good crowd. I know Jason well and he’s a good
lad so it will be good fun playing with him.
“I
won’t be nervous tomorrow, there are still two rounds to go and we’re
only halfway through. You can’t think about those things just yet.
“The
more you’re up there and the more you play in the final groups the more
you get used to it. I don’t think a win is far away and I’ve felt that
way all year. I just need to put the four rounds together.”
Barnes,
who shared the overnight lead heading into the second day, kept his
momentum going on a colder day at the picturesque Cairngorm Highlands venue, in
the resort town of Aviemore, and he was also keen to focus on the
positives and not worry about who was in chase further down the
leaderboard.
“Everyone
deals with pressure in their own way,” said the 30 year old. “Going
into the last round in this position is a bit different than going into
the third round but it’s getting easier the more times I'm up there.
“No one’s going to give you a win, you have to play great golf. You can’t go out and play two average rounds at the weekend.
“Ten
under after two rounds where I only missed three greens and made one
bogey though - you have to be confident after that. I just have to keep
it going really.”
Terry
Pilkadaris was in third place on his own after a four under 67 moved
him to nine under par as the Australian, who has won three times on the
Asian Tour, chases a maiden Challenge Tour victory.
Edouard
Espana of France, Spaniard Xavier Guzman and Sweden’s Bjorn Åkesson
shared fourth place on eight under par while three-time Challenge Tour
winner and home favourite Greig Hutcheon joined 2014 Turkish Airlines
Challenge winner Oliver Farr and three others on seven under par.
Dredge and Ferrie were joined in tied 12th
by Lampert, Thomas Linard – who won the D+D Real Czech Challenge
earlier this month – and the winner of the opening event of the season,
Jake Roos, among others.
SECOND-ROUND SCORES
Par 142 (2x71)
131 A Johnston (Eng) 66 65
132 J Barnes (Eng) 65 67
133 T Pilkadaris (Aus) 66 67
134 E Espana (Fra) 66 68, B Åkesson (Swe) 67 67, X Guzman (Esp) 70 64
135 M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 66 69, J Elson (Eng) 68 67, G Hutcheon (Sco) 67 68, O Farr (Wal) 68 67, T Remkes (Ned) 70 65
136 C Paisley (Eng) 67 69, F Fritsch (Ger) 69 67, M Lampert (Ger)
69 67, T Linard (Fra) 71 65, J Senior (Eng) 70 66, J Roos (RSA) 67 69, M
Tullo (Chi) 65 71, B Dredge (Wal) 67 69, K Ferrie (Eng) 70 66
137 W Besseling (Ned) 70 67, R McEvoy (Eng) 67 70, M Lafeber (Ned)
70 67, J Garcia Pinto (Esp) 69 68, S Grant (Irl) 67 70, L Jensen (Den)
69 68
138 S Little (Eng) 66 72, D Law (Sco) 71 67, P Dwyer (Eng) 72 66, B
Ritthammer (Ger) 69 69, T Nørret (Den) 66 72, D Coupland (Eng) 71 67, L
Corfield (Eng) 66 72, S Hutsby (Eng) 69 69, A Dunbar (Nir) 69 69, S
Dodd (Wal) 72 66, O Wilson (Eng) 68 70, A Marshall (Eng) 74 64, G
Houston (Wal) 68 70, P Figueiredo (Por) 69 69, D Gaunt (Eng) 69 69, B
An (SKor) 69 69, N Ravano (Ita) 70 68, P McKechnie (Sco) 70 68, J Stalter
(Fra) 72 66, D Ulrich (Sui) 71 67
139 W Harrold (Eng) 71 68, J Lagergren (Swe) 72 67, I Ellis (Eng) 67
72, M Orrin (Eng) 67 72, R Davies (Wal) 72 67, M Haines (Eng) 71 68, B
Hebert (Fra) 70 69, S Tiley (Eng) 72 67, A McArthur (Sco) 72 67, A
Snobeck (Fra) 71 68, A Domingo (Esp) 72 67, J Lando Casanova (Fra) 70
69, T Sluiter (Ned) 70 69, L Gagli (Ita) 69 70, A Hortal (Esp) 72 67,
R Coles (Eng) 66 73,
MISSED THE CUT
140
T Pulkkanen (Fin) 69 71, N Johansson (Swe) 72 68, J Rask (Swe) 73 67, E
Johansen (Nor) 67 73, K Nicol (Sco) 69 71, C Shinkwin (Eng) 70 70, N
Raymond (Eng) 70 70, M Cort (Eng) 70 70,
141 C Bouniol (Fra) 67 74, J Winther (Den) 72 69, P Shields (Sco) 70
71, M Ford (Eng) 70 71, G Fox (Sco) 71 70, J Pastor (Esp) 70 71, R Kind
(Ned) 71 70, G King (Eng) 73 68, G Cambis (Fra) 71 70, O Stark (Swe) 73
68, G Lockerbie (Eng) 71 70, P Edberg (Swe) 75 66, C Lloyd (Eng) 70
71
142 W Booth (Sco) 68 74, J Huldahl (Den) 68 74, J Sjöholm (Swe) 71
71, B Chapellan (Fra) 73 69, J Gonnet (Fra) 74 68, L Saltman (Sco) 72
70, L Kennedy (Eng) 74 68, G Boyd (Eng) 76 66, D Kemmer (USA) 70 72, B
Evans (Eng) 70 72
143 R Cazaubon (Mex) 69 74, T Lee (USA) 67 76, M Haastrup (Den) 77
66, Z Scotland (Eng) 76 67, N Quintarelli (Ita) 72 71, P Archer (Eng)
73 70, K Benz (Sui) 67 76, M Wiegele (Aut) 72 71, A Velasco (Esp) 75
68, S Ronold (Nor) 72 71, C Mivis (Bel) 75 68, S Arnold (Aus) 71 72, L
Goddard (Eng) 76 67, J Palmer (Eng) 73 70
144 S Henry (Sco) 70 74, J Guerrier (Fra) 71 73, C Kelly (Sco) 71
73, G Main (USA) 76 68, B Henson (USA) 73 71, D Stewart (Sco) 75 69, D
Frittelli (RSA) 74 70, S Garcia Rodriguez (Esp) 76 68,
145 C Brazillier (Fra) 72 73, D Gavins (Eng) 79 66, S Connor (Eng)
75 70, P Erofejeff (Fin) 77 68, N Lemke (Swe) 74 71, A Rota (Ita) 73 72,
C Hanson (Eng) 72 73, C Lawrie (Sco) 74 71, G Shaw (Nir) 71 74, R
Russell (Sco) 73 72, J Fahrbring (Swe) 71 74
146 J Wilson (Aus) 72 74, C Aguilar (Esp) 75 71, S Drummond (Sco) 72
74, F Bergamaschi (Ita) 76 70, J Kennegard (Swe) 72 74, D Perrier
(Fra) 76 70, L Nemecz (Aut) 74 72, P Maddy (Eng) 70 76,
147 P Widegren (Swe) 79 68, R McGee (Irl) 72 75, F McKenna (Sco) 75 72, C Macaulay (Sco) 73 74,
148 G Murray (Sco) 74 74, O Floren (Swe) 77 71, J Garcia Del Moral (Esp) 80 68, G Robertson (Glenbervie) (am) 74 74
149 T Murray (Eng) 78 71, Z Saltman (Sco) 73 76, M Stewart (Sco) 74
75, M Delpodio (Ita) 74 75, E Kemaloglu (am) (Tur) 79 70,
150 A Belt (Eng) 76 74
151 C Russo (Fra) 77 74, T Lawrence (RSA) 78 73, J Byrne (Sco) 73 78
152 C Trahan (Sco) 76 76, P Oriol (Esp) 78 74
156 M Hooper (Eng) 81 75
161 S Piaget (Mon) 86 75
177 K Kalafatoglu (Tur) 92 85
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