Warren and Knox shoot 66 apiece on Day 2 of
Irish Open but Lawrie misses cut
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
with some additional words by Colin Farquharson
Two Scots - Marc Warren and Russell Knox - shot the day's lowest score of six-under 66 - on Day 2 of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, hosted by the Rory Foundation
Warren rediscovered his form in spectacular fashion and will head into the weekend battling it out with Rory McIlroy and Danny Willett for the lead.
With Willett making his first European Tour appearance since his victory at the Masters Tournament and McIlroy playing host for the week, all eyes were on the two highest ranked players in the field in the build-up to play at the K Club.
That continued on day one as the pair moved to the top of the leaderboard, with Willett and McIlroy continuing to engage in a nip-and-tuck battle throughout the second morning before Warren made a brilliant move.
The Scots had made just three cuts in his nine starts so far this season but birdied three of his last four holes - with a brilliant chip-in coming on the eighth - to register a 66 and move to eight under 136.
That was good enough to give him a share of the lead alongside Willett who signed for a 71, with McIlroy just a shot further back on 137 after his round of 70.
Willett's triumph at Augusta was his second of the season while McIlroy has yet to finish outside the top ten, but Warren is a three-time winner himself and felt he was due a low score.
"I felt, especially the last three events, I felt as if I was close to some decent form," he said.
"The first few months of the season were a little bit of stop-start scheduling-wise.
The 35 year old carded seven birdies to a single bogey in the calmer morning conditions - with the wind and rain arriving for the afternoon starters - and was delighted with his performance.
"I think everything was pretty solid overall," he added. "I kept the ball in play off the tee, which is obviously important in these conditions, and the short game is good."
England's Willett came into the day with a two-shot lead over McIlroy and while he was caught twice by the Northern Irishman, five birdies and four bogeys just kept him at the top of the leaderboard with Warren.
"A little bit scrappy but grinding out quite nicely," he said. "Marc's score today is a fantastic round of golf.
England's Matthew Southgate coped wonderfully with the more difficult later conditions to record a 69 and sit at five under, a shot clear of Tyrrell Hatton, who went one better in the afternoon.
South African duo Richard Sterne and Jaco Van Zyl were also at four under after rounds of 68 and 72 respectively.
Jorge Campillo, Jamie Donaldson, Bradley Dredge, Sébastien Gros, Russell Knox, Eddie Pepperell, Richie Ramsay, Brett Rumford, Callum Shinkwin and Chris Wood were then a further shot back.
Knox, who saddled himself with a first-day 75, recaptured his US PGA form that has lifted him to No 28 in the world rankings.
His 66 has him sharing eighth place on 141 alongside Aberdonian Richie Ramsay (70-71).
Knox birdied the second and fourth, bogeyed the sixth, then covered his last 12 holes in a bogey-free five under par with gains at the eighth, 10th, 11th, 13th and 17th ... 7 birdies in all and one bogey.
Stephen Gallacher is tied 18th on 142 with a pair of 72s.
Craig Lee made the halfway cut on the limit mark of 146 with a pair of 73s.
But Jamie McLeary (148), David Drysdale (150), Paul Lawrie (151), Andrew McArthur (152) and Scott Jamieson (155) missed out.
Lawrie's second-round card of 79 had double bogeys at the par-4 seven and the par-3 12th.
HALFWAY LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
136 M Warren (Sco) 70 66, D Willett (Eng) 65 71
137 R McIlroy (N Ireland) 67 70
139 Matthew Southgate (Eng) 70 69
OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
141 Richie Ramsay 70 71, Russell Knox 75 66 (T8)
142 Stephen Gallacher 71 71 (T18)
146 Craig Lee 73 73 (T56)
MISSED THE CUT (146 and better qualified)
148 Jamie McLeary 78 70
150 David Drysdale 73 77
151 Paul Lawrie 72 79
152 Andrew McArthur 76 76
155 Scott Jamieson 78 77
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES, CHECK THE SCORECARDS
CLICK HERE
Irish Open but Lawrie misses cut
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
with some additional words by Colin Farquharson
Two Scots - Marc Warren and Russell Knox - shot the day's lowest score of six-under 66 - on Day 2 of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, hosted by the Rory Foundation
Warren rediscovered his form in spectacular fashion and will head into the weekend battling it out with Rory McIlroy and Danny Willett for the lead.
With Willett making his first European Tour appearance since his victory at the Masters Tournament and McIlroy playing host for the week, all eyes were on the two highest ranked players in the field in the build-up to play at the K Club.
That continued on day one as the pair moved to the top of the leaderboard, with Willett and McIlroy continuing to engage in a nip-and-tuck battle throughout the second morning before Warren made a brilliant move.
The Scots had made just three cuts in his nine starts so far this season but birdied three of his last four holes - with a brilliant chip-in coming on the eighth - to register a 66 and move to eight under 136.
That was good enough to give him a share of the lead alongside Willett who signed for a 71, with McIlroy just a shot further back on 137 after his round of 70.
Willett's triumph at Augusta was his second of the season while McIlroy has yet to finish outside the top ten, but Warren is a three-time winner himself and felt he was due a low score.
"I felt, especially the last three events, I felt as if I was close to some decent form," he said.
"The first few months of the season were a little bit of stop-start scheduling-wise.
The 35 year old carded seven birdies to a single bogey in the calmer morning conditions - with the wind and rain arriving for the afternoon starters - and was delighted with his performance.
"I think everything was pretty solid overall," he added. "I kept the ball in play off the tee, which is obviously important in these conditions, and the short game is good."
England's Willett came into the day with a two-shot lead over McIlroy and while he was caught twice by the Northern Irishman, five birdies and four bogeys just kept him at the top of the leaderboard with Warren.
"A little bit scrappy but grinding out quite nicely," he said. "Marc's score today is a fantastic round of golf.
England's Matthew Southgate coped wonderfully with the more difficult later conditions to record a 69 and sit at five under, a shot clear of Tyrrell Hatton, who went one better in the afternoon.
South African duo Richard Sterne and Jaco Van Zyl were also at four under after rounds of 68 and 72 respectively.
Jorge Campillo, Jamie Donaldson, Bradley Dredge, Sébastien Gros, Russell Knox, Eddie Pepperell, Richie Ramsay, Brett Rumford, Callum Shinkwin and Chris Wood were then a further shot back.
Knox, who saddled himself with a first-day 75, recaptured his US PGA form that has lifted him to No 28 in the world rankings.
His 66 has him sharing eighth place on 141 alongside Aberdonian Richie Ramsay (70-71).
Knox birdied the second and fourth, bogeyed the sixth, then covered his last 12 holes in a bogey-free five under par with gains at the eighth, 10th, 11th, 13th and 17th ... 7 birdies in all and one bogey.
Stephen Gallacher is tied 18th on 142 with a pair of 72s.
Craig Lee made the halfway cut on the limit mark of 146 with a pair of 73s.
But Jamie McLeary (148), David Drysdale (150), Paul Lawrie (151), Andrew McArthur (152) and Scott Jamieson (155) missed out.
Lawrie's second-round card of 79 had double bogeys at the par-4 seven and the par-3 12th.
HALFWAY LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
136 M Warren (Sco) 70 66, D Willett (Eng) 65 71
137 R McIlroy (N Ireland) 67 70
139 Matthew Southgate (Eng) 70 69
OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
141 Richie Ramsay 70 71, Russell Knox 75 66 (T8)
142 Stephen Gallacher 71 71 (T18)
146 Craig Lee 73 73 (T56)
MISSED THE CUT (146 and better qualified)
148 Jamie McLeary 78 70
150 David Drysdale 73 77
151 Paul Lawrie 72 79
152 Andrew McArthur 76 76
155 Scott Jamieson 78 77
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES, CHECK THE SCORECARDS
CLICK HERE
Labels: EUROPEAN TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Friday, May 20, 2016
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