Porsche European Open

Graeme storms up to share halfway lead with 

Fisher and Schwartzel

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

A stunning eagle on the back nine helped lift Graeme Storm into a share of the lead at the halfway stage of the Porsche European Open at Bad Griesbach, Germany
The Englishman added a four under par 67 to his first-round score of 65 to join countryman Ross Fisher and South Africa's Charl Schwartzel on ten under par 132 .
Byeong Hun-An and Richard McEvoy are one stroke further back on nine under, with BMW PGA Champion Byeong firing an eagle, five birdies and a solitary bogey on Friday.
Storm, who began the day one shot off the overnight lead, notched two birdies on his way to reaching the turn in 33.
The 37 year old started his back nine in style, chipping in for an eagle at the par five tenth to move to ten under.
Storm then dropped a shot at the 13th before saving par with an excellent ten foot putt at the 14th.
After safely parring the 15th, Storm made a gain at the next to match the clubhouse target of ten under set by Schwartzel earlier in the day.
Storm was delighted with his second-round total, saying: "I’m really happy to shoot four under today. I didn’t feel I was swinging it that great today.
"I didn’t feel I was hitting the ball that great but I got round and made a few putts and I had a chip in on the tenth for eagle, which always helps.
"I didn’t quite hit my second shot to get on the green but I had a lovely chip and run with a lob wedge which came off perfect.
"You need to score on those holes, 11, 12 and 13. I let myself down a bit on 13 with my only bogey of the week so far."
Starting his round at the tenth tee, former Masters Tournament winner Schwartzel covered the front nine in 35, mixing eight pars with a birdie.
He made another gain straight after the turn before chipping in from beside the green to save par at the short second.
The 31 year old then added birdies at the third, fifth and eighth holes to head into the weekend on tied for the lead.
He said: "It’s nice to play some consistent golf. I’ve been feeling like I’m going to play well for a while, knocking on the door, but not had the momentum go my way.
"This time around I’ve kept it together nicely. I’ve hit lots of greens, given myself lots of opportunities and made a few putts, which helps.
"The putting is getting better. I can chip, that’s not my problem, but things like that (the second hole) are what you need when you are going to have a good tournament and compete. It keeps the momentum going."
Fisher got off to a strong start, carding back-to-back birdies at the second and third before picking up another shot at the eighth.
The five time European Tour winner then made three gains in his first five holes on the back nine before carding the only bogey of his round at the 15th.
The 34 year old bounced straight back, holing his birdie putt from four feet at the 16th before parring the final two holes to finish on ten under.
He said: "I’m delighted. I played some very good golf out there. My form has been good and I am hitting the ball nicely. Results just haven’t shown that.
"Missing the cut in Holland, I didn’t actually play that badly. I felt fresh coming into this week after a week off and felt pretty comfortable out there in the pro-am.
"It is a course that suits me, I can be aggressive off the tee with the driver and the greens are so pure. I’ve got good vibes with it being the European Open, having won the tournament.
"I’m delighted it is back on the schedule and I’m delighted to put myself in position after two days."
An reached the turn in 34 before covering the back nine in 31 thanks in no small part to his six foot eagle putt at the tenth.
The South Korean is pleased with how he is playing. He said: "I’m one off the lead and I like my chances. I’ve been playing well. After Wentworth I was a bit shaky, but you have those moments.
"Certainly last week I was playing well. I’ve worked hard on my putting, and I have putted well so far this week too."
England’s McEvoy looked like grabbing a late share of the lead when he set off for home with an eagle at the tenth followed by a hat-trick of gains from the 12th, but he bogeyed the final hole for a 67.
Elsewhere two time Champion Bernhard Langer added a second round 71 to Thursday's 66 to head into the weeken-d on five under.
Graeme McDowell fired one of the shots of the day, saving par from 100 yards at the 13th on his way to reaching four under par, but overnight leader Bernd Wiesberger missed the cut after a second-round 76.
Biggest name among the non-qualifiers with  totals of two-under-par 140 and over was American Hunter Mahan who slumped from a first-round 66 to a second-round 76 for 142.
Scot Peter Whiteford made it on the limit mark with rounds of 67 and 72 but Craig Lee (70-70 for 140), Marc Warren (69-77 for 146) and Stephen Gallacher (75-75 for 150) all missed out.
Scott Jamieson is the best placed Scot with 68 and 70 for 138, six shots off the pace.

SECOND ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71)

132 R Fisher (Eng) 67 65, C Schwartzel  (RSA) 66 66, G Storm  (Eng) 65 67
133 B An (SKor) 68 65, R McEvoy  (Eng) 66 67
134 J Edfors (Swe) 66 68, D Fichardt (RSA) 65 69
135 J Donaldson (Wal) 67 68, M Carlsson  (Swe) 67 68, M Ilonen  (Fin) 69 66, O Fisher  (Eng) 66 69, F Fritsch  (Ger) 66 69, J Walters (RSA) 67 68, R Bland (Eng) 65 70,
 136 L Bjerregaard  (Den) 68 68, B Hebert  (Fra) 64 72, T Jaidee (Tha) 68 68, S Kjeldsen (Den) 66 70, P Uihlein  (USA) 68 68, J Parry (Eng) 66 70, M Jiménez (Esp) 67 69, J Morrison  (Eng) 67 69, M Kieffer (Ger) 68 68,
 137 R Jacquelin (Fra) 70 67, A Cañizares  (Esp) 70 67, M Korhonen (Fin) 70 67, H Otto (RSA) 67 70, A Hansen (Den) 69 68, B Langer (Ger) 66 71, R Green (Aus) 65 72, S Heisele (Ger) 70 67, A Tadini (Ita) 68 69, K Ferrie (Eng) 70 67,
 138 S Hend (Aus) 69 69, L Jensen (Den) 68 70, R Karlsson (Swe) 66 72, E Espana (Fra) 69 69, R Finch  (Eng) 66 72, G McDowell  (Nir) 68 70, B Dredge (Wal) 68 70, P Hanson (Swe) 68 70, D McGrane (Irl) 71 67, A Dodt (Aus) 70 68, F Zanotti (Par) 70 68, M Fraser (Aus) 69 69, S Jamieson  (Sco) 68 70, N Colsaerts  (Bel) 72 66, P Edberg (Swe) 67 71, B Evans  (Eng) 68 70, S Benson (Eng) 68 70, M Lundberg (Swe) 70 68, J Luiten (Ned) 69 69,
 139 L Slattery (Eng) 68 71, R Karlberg  (Swe) 68 71, J Garcia Pinto (Esp) 68 71, M Nixon (Eng) 71 68, A Levy (Fra) 72 67, W Ormsby (Aus) 72 67, C Bouniol (Fra) 69 70, M Lorenzo-Vera  (Fra) 69 70, P Whiteford (Sco) 67 72, G Havret  (Fra) 69 70, C Paisley  (Eng) 67 72, A Choi (Can) 70 69, S Wakefield (Eng) 69 70, P Mejow (Ger) 68 71,

MISSED THE CUT
140 S Kapur (Ind) 68 72, M Hoey  (Nir) 70 70, C Lee (Sco) 70 70, V Riu  (Fra) 68 72, R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 71 69, T Lewis (Eng) 67 73, B Wiesberger  (Aut) 64 76, B Ritthammer (Ger) 67 73, D Horsey (Eng) 67 73, M Orrin (Eng) 70 70, D Howell (Eng) 72 68,
 141 G Stal  (Fra) 71 70, S Hansen (Den) 71 70, J Lagergren (Swe) 70 71, M Ford (Eng) 71 70, J Singh (Ind) 71 70, A Velasco (Esp) 72 69, Y Yang (SKor) 71 70, E De La Riva  (Esp) 70 71, P Lawrie (Irl) 69 72, K Phelan (Irl) 70 71,
 142 R Wattel  (Fra) 72 70, H Mahan  (USA) 66 76, D Lipsky (USA) 66 76, M Manassero (Ita) 74 68, C Wood  (Eng) 68 74, T Fisher Jnr (RSA) 67 75, J Scrivener (Aus) 69 73, N Fasth (Swe) 67 75, R Gonzalez (Arg) 69 73, J Lando Casanova  (Fra) 75 67, T Van Der Walt (RSA) 70 72, P Maddy (Eng) 69 73,
 143 M Tullo (Chi) 70 73, D Woltman (USA) 68 75, A Wall (Eng) 72 71, M Bremner (RSA) 70 73, E Molinari  (Ita) 73 70, P Larrazábal (Esp) 73 70, F Aguilar (Chi) 70 73, R Paratore (Ita) 74 69, J Quesne  (Fra) 70 73, N Elvira  (Esp) 70 73, W Starke (am) (USA) 73 70,
 144 G Bourdy (Fra) 72 72, A Otaegui  (Esp) 72 72, D Brooks (Eng) 77 67, K Broberg (Swe) 69 75, S Jaeger (Ger) 76 68, A Pavan (Ita) 73 71, T Fleetwood  (Eng) 68 76, S Manley (Wal) 72 72, M Rottluff (am) (Ger) 73 71,
 145 T Olesen (Den) 70 75, D Gaunt (Aus) 75 70, P Oriol (Esp) 72 73, M Lampert (Ger) 73 72, G Mulroy (RSA) 71 74,
 146 M Grönberg (Swe) 75 71, S Thornton (Irl) 77 69, J Roos (RSA) 72 74, M Schneider (Ger) 69 77, J Carlsson (Swe) 72 74, A Quiros  (Esp) 70 76, M Warren (Sco) 69 77, T Murray (Eng) 72 74,
 147 S Hutsby  (Eng) 73 74, B Neumayer (Aut) 71 76, A Saddier (Fra) 73 74,
 148 J Campillo (Esp) 73 75, S Einhaus (Ger) 70 78, P Archer (Eng) 74 74, K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 72 76, M Crespi  (Ita) 76 72, M Foster (Eng) 76 72, A Hortal  (Esp) 68 80,
 149 J Kruger (RSA) 74 75,
 150 O Farr (Wal) 73 77, R Santos  (Por) 71 79, S Gallacher (Sco) 75 75, O Wilson (Eng) 75 75,
 152 E Goya (Arg) 74 78,
 155 M Hoffmann  (USA) 78 77, C Lloyd (Eng) 77 78,
 159 S Strüver (Ger) 84 75,
 161 T Levet (Fra) 79 82,
 ** S Dodd (Wal) 78 WD, C Doak (Sco) 73 retired, J Barnes (Eng) 77 WD, J Van Zyl (RSA) 72 RT,