Saturday, November 01, 2008

Westwood's fighting finish puts
him back in Order of Merit frame

Lee Westwood still hopes to have something to shout about before he has his tonsils out on Monday - a second European Order of Merit title.
Westwood needs to win the season-ending Volvo Masters at Valderrama to have a chance of pipping Swede Robert Karlsson, and a brilliant finish to his rain-delayed second round re-ignited his challenge.
The man who ended Colin Montgomerie's seven-year reign as No 1 in 2000 played the last 11 holes in six under par to climb into a tie for second place, only two behind Dane Soren Kjeldsen.
If Westwood wins the tournament, Karlsson will have to be second or third to retain top spot on the money list, but a second successive 73 left him joint 22nd as the players went out again for the third round.
Padraig Harrington and Miguel Angel Jimenez also had a chance of winning the Harry Vardon Trophy entering the event, but Harrington's hopes were hanging by a thread at five over - he needs a top-two finish - and those of Jimenez, who required victory, looked over after he completed a round of 80 for 11 over.
LATER NEWS: RAIN SUSPENDS THIRD ROUND PLAY
Søren Kjeldsen and Sergio Garcia are locked together at five under par at the top of the leaderboard with play suspended during the third round.
And Lee Westwood - chasing both the tournament and The Order of Merit - is just a shot further back.
Kjeldsen held a two-shot lead after the rain hit second round was completed but he dropped a shot at the first to be one over for his round after six holes.
Garcia - winner of last week’s Castello Masters at his home course- was one under for his round after seven holes thanks to a birdie at the par five fourth.
Westwood’s compatriot Anthony Wall is in fourth place on three under par.
In the race for The Harry Vardon Trophy, Westwood has to win and hope for current leader Robert Karlsson to finish outside the top three.
With the Swede five over par that looks increasingly likely, while Padraig Harrington - needing a top two finish - is two over par in a tie for 18th after 11 holes.
The rain intensified and on the already saturated greens puddles soon appeared, causing play to be suspended just after 5.20pm local time.
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2 x 71)
136 Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 65 71
138 Anthony Wall 69 69, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 68 70, Lee Westwood 70 68
139 Thomas Levet (Fra) 71 68
140 Darren Clarke 71 69, Simon Dyson 72 68
141 Peter Hanson (Swe) 72 69, Paul Casey 73 68, Markus Brier (Aut) 72 69
142 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 72 70, Graeme McDowell 72 70, David Lynn 69 73
143 Steve Webster 72 71, Anders Hansen (Den) 74 69, Richard Green (Aus) 73 70, Martin Kaymer (Ger) 73 70
144 David Howell 73 71, Oliver Fisher 73 71
145 Soren Hansen (Den) 74 71, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 71 74
146 Robert Karlsson (Swe) 73 73, Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 74 72, Ross Fisher 76 70, Andres Romero (Arg) 74 72
147 Francesco Molinari (Ita) 74 73, Hennie Otto (Rsa) 70 77, Rory McIlroy 74 73, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa) 73 74, John Bickerton 74 73, Padraig Harrington 76 71
148 Alexander Noren (Swe) 74 74, Paul Lawrie 76 72, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 73 75
149 Damien McGrane 74 75, Colin Montgomerie 73 76, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 74 75, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 74 75
150 Scott Strange (Aus) 76 74
151 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 74 77, Richard Finch 74 77, Nick Dougherty 78 73, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 77 74, Gregory Havret (Fra) 76 75
152 Oliver Wilson 75 77, Ian Poulter 76 76, Mark Brown (USA) 75 77, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 73 79
153 Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 77 76, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 73 80, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 77 76
154 James Kingston (Rsa) 76 78, Peter Lawrie 75 79, Paul McGinley 76 78, Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 78 76
156 Graeme Storm 77 79
161 Justin Rose 80 81

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