It's that man Molinari again setting the pace
From Challenge Tour Press Officer Paul Symes
Not for the first time this season, Edoardo Molinari will go into the weekend as the man to catch after a second successive round of 69 saw him maintain his one-stroke advantage on day two of the European Challenge Tour's ECCO Tour Championship.
The Italian, whose nearest challengers are Portugal’s José-Filipe Lima and Finland’s Roope Kakko on five under par, has enjoyed a half-way lead on three previous occasions this season – at the Club Colombia Masters presentado por Samsung, the Piemonte Open, and the Kazakhstan Open.
Only once has he relinquished that lead, in Colombia, which underlines the task facing Lima and Kakko, who matched the Italian’s round of 69, as did England’s John Parry, who sits in fourth place on four under par.
In more benign conditions at Holstebro GK in Jutland, on the east coast of Denmark, Molinari again carded four birdies and a solitary bogey to move to six under par and within sight of the fifth Challenge Tour title of his career.
But with up to 30mm of rain predicted on the third day, he may have to do it the hard way.
Molinari said: “Although it saw still very cold this morning the course was playing much easier without the wind, but I didn’t hit the ball as well as I did yesterday. I drove the ball very well again today but my approach play wasn’t great, so I didn’t give myself many chances for birdie. But 69’s still not a bad round here – if I can do the same for the next two days, I’ll be in with a great chance.
“With the weather forecast not looking too good, it may come down to who plays the conditions the best. That could work in my favour, because I’m driving the ball well and you have to keep your ball in play when the weather’s bad. So whatever happens, hopefully I’ll be able to deal with it.”Welshman Stuart Manley, Sweden’s Anders Sjöstrand and Spain’s Carl Suneson are tied for fifth place on two under par after all three signed for rounds of 71 for the second successive day.
SECOND ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
138 E Molinari (Ita) 69 69
139 R Kakko (Fin) 70 69, J Lima (Por) 70 69
140 J Parry (Eng) 71 69
142 C Suneson (Spa) 71 71, A Sjostrand (Swe) 71 71, S Manley (Wal) 71 71
144 F Andersson Hed (Swe) 75 69, G Boyd (Eng) 70 74, A Gee (Eng) 72 72
145 F Colombo (Ita) 73 72, R McEvoy (Eng) 72 73, A Tampion (Aus) 73 72, A Hartoe (Den) 74 71, J Hansen (Den) 71 74
146 M Higley (Eng) 71 75, N Colsaerts (Bel) 76 70, A Hansen (Den) 75 71, S Davis (Eng) 71 75, C Rodiles (Spa) 75 71, J Quesne (Fra) 76 70, A Nilsson (Swe) 78 68
147 M Haastrup (Den) 75 72, A Bernadet (Fra) 77 70, P Baker (Eng) 76 71, T Norret (Den) 72 75, P Gustafsson (Swe) 73 74, C Monasterio (Arg) 73 74, R Coles (Eng) 75 72, S Walker (Eng) 74 73, M Zions (Aus) 76 71, D Lokke (Den) 76 71
148 A Snobeck (Fra) 78 70, J Larsen (Nor) 73 75, N Smith (USA) 74 74, W Schauman (Swe) 76 72, A Wagner (Arg) 76 72, G Paddison (Nzl) 76 72, C Gane (Eng) 74 74, C Moriarty (Irl) 76 72, J Guerrier (Fra) 75 73, D Denison (Eng) 76 72, B Evans (Eng) 73 75, P Whiteford (Sco) 75 73, C Carranza (Arg) 74 74, L Bjerregaard (Den) 77 71
149 F Fritsch (Ger) 76 73, J Bjerhag (Swe) 78 71, L Jensen (Den) 75 74, F Calmels (Fra) 78 71, A Kaleka (Fra) 73 76, A Andersson (Swe) 75 74, T Olesen (Den) 77 72, M Jurgensen (Den) 73 76, J Wahlqvist (Swe) 77 72, J Moul (Eng) 72 77
150 F Henge (Swe) 77 73, B Wiesberger (Aut) 75 75, J McLeary (Sco) 77 73, S Bebb (Wal) 77 73, R Davies (Wal) 73 77, R Muntz (Ned) 76 74, M Wiegele (Aut) 74 76, M Thorp (Nor) 79 71, A Marshall (Eng) 75 75, K Nielsen (Den) 78 72, F Ohlsson (Swe) 74 76, B Akesson (Swe) 73 77
MISSED THE CUT
151 S Jeppesen (Swe) 74 77, A Hogberg (Swe) 74 77, K Jorgensen (Den) 79 72, M Eliasson (Swe) 74 77, J Grillon (Fra) 77 74, R Eriksson (Swe) 76 75, A Ahokas (Fin) 77 74, R Hjelm (Den) 77 74, A Butterfield (Eng) 76 75
152 P Ankersoe (Den) 78 74, M Hedegaard (Den) 77 75, F Praegant (Aut) 75 77, G Murray (Sco) 77 75, J Colomo (Spa) 77 75, K Hallgren (Swe) 78 74, C Lange (Den) 81 71, L Kennedy (Eng) 74 78, D Nouailhac (Fra) 77 75
153 M Korhonen (Fin) 78 75, J Makitalo (Fin) 80 73
154 S Juul (Den) 79 75, N Meitinger (Ger) 80 74, J Morrison (Eng) 83 71, M McGeady (Irl) 75 79, M Reale (Ita) 77 77, J Zapata (Arg) 79 75
155 D Kupper (Ger) 77 78, J Arruti (Spa) 78 77, R De Sousa (Swi) 79 76, S Thornton (Irl) 77 78, A McArthur (Sco) 78 77
156 J Adarraga Gomez (Spa) 82 74, J Clement (Swi) 79 77, L Johansson (Swe) 77 79, G Adell (Swe) 81 75
157 K Edberg (Swe) 81 76, M Palm (Swe) 83 74, G Andersson (Swe) 83 74
158 L Gagli (Ita) 81 77, P Barth (Swe) 81 77, P Bocian (Swe) 80 78, A Kali (Den) 77 81
159 L Bond (Wal) 83 76, R Steiner (Aut) 83 76
160 C Gunther (Ger) 81 79, K Sorensen (Den) 85 75
161 N Bruzelius (Swe) 82 79, A Kasprzak (Den) 77 84
168 M Pilkington (Wal) 82 86
Retired:: G Houston (Wal) 80, L James (Eng) 82
Withdrew: B Mason (Eng) 79
From Challenge Tour Press Officer Paul Symes
Not for the first time this season, Edoardo Molinari will go into the weekend as the man to catch after a second successive round of 69 saw him maintain his one-stroke advantage on day two of the European Challenge Tour's ECCO Tour Championship.
The Italian, whose nearest challengers are Portugal’s José-Filipe Lima and Finland’s Roope Kakko on five under par, has enjoyed a half-way lead on three previous occasions this season – at the Club Colombia Masters presentado por Samsung, the Piemonte Open, and the Kazakhstan Open.
Only once has he relinquished that lead, in Colombia, which underlines the task facing Lima and Kakko, who matched the Italian’s round of 69, as did England’s John Parry, who sits in fourth place on four under par.
In more benign conditions at Holstebro GK in Jutland, on the east coast of Denmark, Molinari again carded four birdies and a solitary bogey to move to six under par and within sight of the fifth Challenge Tour title of his career.
But with up to 30mm of rain predicted on the third day, he may have to do it the hard way.
Molinari said: “Although it saw still very cold this morning the course was playing much easier without the wind, but I didn’t hit the ball as well as I did yesterday. I drove the ball very well again today but my approach play wasn’t great, so I didn’t give myself many chances for birdie. But 69’s still not a bad round here – if I can do the same for the next two days, I’ll be in with a great chance.
“With the weather forecast not looking too good, it may come down to who plays the conditions the best. That could work in my favour, because I’m driving the ball well and you have to keep your ball in play when the weather’s bad. So whatever happens, hopefully I’ll be able to deal with it.”Welshman Stuart Manley, Sweden’s Anders Sjöstrand and Spain’s Carl Suneson are tied for fifth place on two under par after all three signed for rounds of 71 for the second successive day.
SECOND ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
138 E Molinari (Ita) 69 69
139 R Kakko (Fin) 70 69, J Lima (Por) 70 69
140 J Parry (Eng) 71 69
142 C Suneson (Spa) 71 71, A Sjostrand (Swe) 71 71, S Manley (Wal) 71 71
144 F Andersson Hed (Swe) 75 69, G Boyd (Eng) 70 74, A Gee (Eng) 72 72
145 F Colombo (Ita) 73 72, R McEvoy (Eng) 72 73, A Tampion (Aus) 73 72, A Hartoe (Den) 74 71, J Hansen (Den) 71 74
146 M Higley (Eng) 71 75, N Colsaerts (Bel) 76 70, A Hansen (Den) 75 71, S Davis (Eng) 71 75, C Rodiles (Spa) 75 71, J Quesne (Fra) 76 70, A Nilsson (Swe) 78 68
147 M Haastrup (Den) 75 72, A Bernadet (Fra) 77 70, P Baker (Eng) 76 71, T Norret (Den) 72 75, P Gustafsson (Swe) 73 74, C Monasterio (Arg) 73 74, R Coles (Eng) 75 72, S Walker (Eng) 74 73, M Zions (Aus) 76 71, D Lokke (Den) 76 71
148 A Snobeck (Fra) 78 70, J Larsen (Nor) 73 75, N Smith (USA) 74 74, W Schauman (Swe) 76 72, A Wagner (Arg) 76 72, G Paddison (Nzl) 76 72, C Gane (Eng) 74 74, C Moriarty (Irl) 76 72, J Guerrier (Fra) 75 73, D Denison (Eng) 76 72, B Evans (Eng) 73 75, P Whiteford (Sco) 75 73, C Carranza (Arg) 74 74, L Bjerregaard (Den) 77 71
149 F Fritsch (Ger) 76 73, J Bjerhag (Swe) 78 71, L Jensen (Den) 75 74, F Calmels (Fra) 78 71, A Kaleka (Fra) 73 76, A Andersson (Swe) 75 74, T Olesen (Den) 77 72, M Jurgensen (Den) 73 76, J Wahlqvist (Swe) 77 72, J Moul (Eng) 72 77
150 F Henge (Swe) 77 73, B Wiesberger (Aut) 75 75, J McLeary (Sco) 77 73, S Bebb (Wal) 77 73, R Davies (Wal) 73 77, R Muntz (Ned) 76 74, M Wiegele (Aut) 74 76, M Thorp (Nor) 79 71, A Marshall (Eng) 75 75, K Nielsen (Den) 78 72, F Ohlsson (Swe) 74 76, B Akesson (Swe) 73 77
MISSED THE CUT
151 S Jeppesen (Swe) 74 77, A Hogberg (Swe) 74 77, K Jorgensen (Den) 79 72, M Eliasson (Swe) 74 77, J Grillon (Fra) 77 74, R Eriksson (Swe) 76 75, A Ahokas (Fin) 77 74, R Hjelm (Den) 77 74, A Butterfield (Eng) 76 75
152 P Ankersoe (Den) 78 74, M Hedegaard (Den) 77 75, F Praegant (Aut) 75 77, G Murray (Sco) 77 75, J Colomo (Spa) 77 75, K Hallgren (Swe) 78 74, C Lange (Den) 81 71, L Kennedy (Eng) 74 78, D Nouailhac (Fra) 77 75
153 M Korhonen (Fin) 78 75, J Makitalo (Fin) 80 73
154 S Juul (Den) 79 75, N Meitinger (Ger) 80 74, J Morrison (Eng) 83 71, M McGeady (Irl) 75 79, M Reale (Ita) 77 77, J Zapata (Arg) 79 75
155 D Kupper (Ger) 77 78, J Arruti (Spa) 78 77, R De Sousa (Swi) 79 76, S Thornton (Irl) 77 78, A McArthur (Sco) 78 77
156 J Adarraga Gomez (Spa) 82 74, J Clement (Swi) 79 77, L Johansson (Swe) 77 79, G Adell (Swe) 81 75
157 K Edberg (Swe) 81 76, M Palm (Swe) 83 74, G Andersson (Swe) 83 74
158 L Gagli (Ita) 81 77, P Barth (Swe) 81 77, P Bocian (Swe) 80 78, A Kali (Den) 77 81
159 L Bond (Wal) 83 76, R Steiner (Aut) 83 76
160 C Gunther (Ger) 81 79, K Sorensen (Den) 85 75
161 N Bruzelius (Swe) 82 79, A Kasprzak (Den) 77 84
168 M Pilkington (Wal) 82 86
Retired:: G Houston (Wal) 80, L James (Eng) 82
Withdrew: B Mason (Eng) 79
Labels: CHALLENGE TOUR
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