Ross Fisher three ahead after a 61 (and it could have been 59)
FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
England's Ross Fisher erupted into life again with a 61 in Killarney on Friday - and he needed nobody to tell him it could have been an historic 59.
One of Europe's great talents has been somewhat dormant since winning the Volvo World Match Play in Spain last November.
But his bid for the Ryder Cup debut he just missed last time was reignited by a remarkable charge into a three-stroke halfway lead over Italian Francesco Molinari at the 3 Irish Open.
Six successive birdies for a front-nine 29, then four more in a row from the 11th left Fisher needing just two from the last four to become the European Tour's first player to break 60.
There have been four 59s on the US Tour, the most recent of them by Paul Goydos earlier this month, while Ryo Ishikawa shot 58 in Japan in May and only a few days ago a 17-year-old amateur scored 57 in the Alabama Boys State Junior Championship.
But, like so many before him, Fisher had to settle for the lowest round of his Tour career and not the record.
He missed from six feet at the 15th, only parred the long 16th as well after driving into sand and failed with birdie attempts on the last two.
"I was standing on the 14th green and it (59) did sort of enter my mind," said the 29-year-old, who could leap from 13th to sixth in the cup standings by winning on Sunday.
"I was quite strong mentally to try and block it out of my mind. I just tried to give myself four chances and I did that, but it wasn't meant to be."
As for making it into Colin Montgomerie's side he added: "This is the start of three big weeks, so I just need to go out and play how I know I can - and fingers crossed."
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71)
130 Ross Fisher 69 61
133 Francesco Molinari (Ita) 67 66
135 Anders Hansen (Den) 67 68, Padraig Harrington 68 67, Noh Seung-yul (Kor) 66 69, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa) 66 69, Brett Rumford (Aus) 66 69, Michael Hoey 66 69, David Dixon 67 68, Richard Green (Aus) 65 70, Rory McIlroy 67 68
163 Chris Wood 71 65, Paul McGinley 68 68, Darren Clarke 66 70, Johan Edfors (Swe) 67 69, Marcel Siem (Ger) 66 70, Anton Haig (Rsa) 66 70
163 Damien McGrane 65 72
138 David Drysdale 67 71, Patrik Sjoland (Swe) 68 70, Simon Khan 68 70, Paul Lawrie 66 72, Sam Hutsby 69 69
139 David Howell 64 75, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 69 70, Shane Lowry 74 65, Mark Foster 69 70, Alastair Forsyth 69 70, Steven O'Hara 68 71, Richie Ramsay 71 68, Joost Luiten (Ned) 74 65, Peter Whiteford 70 69, Andrew Dodt (Aus) 67 72, Paul Broadhurst 68 71, Mark Haastrup (Den) 67 72
140 Danny Lee (Nzl) 67 73, Mark Brown (Nzl) 72 68, Eirik Tage Johansen (Nor) 67 73, Marc Warren 69 71, Anthony Kang (USA) 69 71, Phillip Archer 71 69, Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 66 74, Richard Bland 69 71, Martin Wiegele (Aut) 67 73
141 Graeme Storm 70 71, Mikael Lundberg (Swe) 71 70, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 70 71, Peter O'Malley (Aus) 69 72, Robert-Jan Derksen (Ned) 71 70, Richard McEvoy 69 72, Paul Waring 75 66, Gregory Havret (Fra) 72 69, Ariel Canete (Arg) 69 72, Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel) 68 73, Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 71 70, Markus Brier (Aut) 69 72, Sion Bebb 70 71, Peter Baker 71 70, Rick Kulacz (Aus) 71 70
142 Oskar Henningsson (Swe) 72 70, Julien Quesne (Fra) 71 71, Robert Coles 69 73, Graeme McDowell 70 72, Stephen Gallacher 70 72, Richard Finch 70 72, Pablo Martin (Spa) 73 69, Anthony Wall 72 70, Justin Rose 74 68, Matteo Manassero (Ita) 72 70, Jamie Donaldson 72 70, Barrie Trainor 69 73
MISSED THE CUT
143 Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 71 72, Francois Delamontagne (Fra) 67 76, David Horsey 72 71, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 71 72, Damian Mooney 72 71, Andrew Butterfield 72 71, Jeppe Huldahl (Den) 70 73, Gary Boyd 72 71, Gareth Maybin 71 72, George Coetzee (Rsa) 70 73
144 David Higgins 72 72, Simon Dyson 70 74, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 69 75, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 68 76, Daniel Vancsik (Arg) 72 72, Rafa Echenique (Arg) 76 68, Rhys Davies 72 72, Christian Nilsson (Swe) 69 75, David Lynn 73 71, Phillip Price 70 74
145 Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 72 73, Tano Goya (Arg) 72 73, Fredrik Ohlsson (Swe) 71 74, Peter Lawrie 72 73, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 74 71, James Kamte (Rsa) 72 73, Simon Thornton 71 74, Jose-Filipe Lima (Por) 78 67, Carlos Rodiles (Spa) 73 72
146 Victor Dubuisson (Fra) 71 75, Fabrizio Zanotti (Par) 70 76, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 71 75, David Carter 73 73, John Parry 69 77
147 Colm Moriarty 73 74, Chris Gane 78 69, Andrew Tampion (Aus) 72 75, Steve Webster 72 75, Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 71 76, Bradley Dredge 70 77, Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spa) 72 75, Clodomiro Carranza (Arg) 72 75
148 Ross McGowan 73 75, Benjamin Hebert (Fra) 73 75, Cian Curley 73 75, Alan Dunbar 72 76, Christian Cevaer (Fra) 72 76, Paul Cutler 73 75
149 Michael Campbell (Nzl) 72 77, Barry Lane 75 74, Carl Suneson (Spa) 74 75, Scott Strange (Aus) 72 77, Marco Ruiz (Par) 71 78, Peter Martin 75 74
150 Nick Dougherty 73 77, Oliver Fisher 74 76, Daniel Sugrue 74 76
151 Stephen Dodd 74 77, John Kelly 77 74, Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 77 74, Chapchai Nirat (Thai) 76 75, Andrew Coltart 79 72
152 Mikko Ilonen (Fin) 74 78, Michael Collins 79 73
153 Gary Murphy 75 78, SSP Chowrasia (Ind) 75 78, David Ryan 75 78
154 Pat Murray 78 76, Gary Lockerbie 77 77, Hennie Otto (Rsa) 71 83, Gary Cullen 77 77
156 Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 77 79
158 Jamie Elson 74 84, James Morrison 75 83
159 Philip Walton 79 80
RTD: Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 75, Sam Little 72
WD: Kenneth Ferrie 77
FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
England's Ross Fisher erupted into life again with a 61 in Killarney on Friday - and he needed nobody to tell him it could have been an historic 59.
One of Europe's great talents has been somewhat dormant since winning the Volvo World Match Play in Spain last November.
But his bid for the Ryder Cup debut he just missed last time was reignited by a remarkable charge into a three-stroke halfway lead over Italian Francesco Molinari at the 3 Irish Open.
Six successive birdies for a front-nine 29, then four more in a row from the 11th left Fisher needing just two from the last four to become the European Tour's first player to break 60.
There have been four 59s on the US Tour, the most recent of them by Paul Goydos earlier this month, while Ryo Ishikawa shot 58 in Japan in May and only a few days ago a 17-year-old amateur scored 57 in the Alabama Boys State Junior Championship.
But, like so many before him, Fisher had to settle for the lowest round of his Tour career and not the record.
He missed from six feet at the 15th, only parred the long 16th as well after driving into sand and failed with birdie attempts on the last two.
"I was standing on the 14th green and it (59) did sort of enter my mind," said the 29-year-old, who could leap from 13th to sixth in the cup standings by winning on Sunday.
"I was quite strong mentally to try and block it out of my mind. I just tried to give myself four chances and I did that, but it wasn't meant to be."
As for making it into Colin Montgomerie's side he added: "This is the start of three big weeks, so I just need to go out and play how I know I can - and fingers crossed."
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71)
130 Ross Fisher 69 61
133 Francesco Molinari (Ita) 67 66
135 Anders Hansen (Den) 67 68, Padraig Harrington 68 67, Noh Seung-yul (Kor) 66 69, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa) 66 69, Brett Rumford (Aus) 66 69, Michael Hoey 66 69, David Dixon 67 68, Richard Green (Aus) 65 70, Rory McIlroy 67 68
163 Chris Wood 71 65, Paul McGinley 68 68, Darren Clarke 66 70, Johan Edfors (Swe) 67 69, Marcel Siem (Ger) 66 70, Anton Haig (Rsa) 66 70
163 Damien McGrane 65 72
138 David Drysdale 67 71, Patrik Sjoland (Swe) 68 70, Simon Khan 68 70, Paul Lawrie 66 72, Sam Hutsby 69 69
139 David Howell 64 75, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 69 70, Shane Lowry 74 65, Mark Foster 69 70, Alastair Forsyth 69 70, Steven O'Hara 68 71, Richie Ramsay 71 68, Joost Luiten (Ned) 74 65, Peter Whiteford 70 69, Andrew Dodt (Aus) 67 72, Paul Broadhurst 68 71, Mark Haastrup (Den) 67 72
140 Danny Lee (Nzl) 67 73, Mark Brown (Nzl) 72 68, Eirik Tage Johansen (Nor) 67 73, Marc Warren 69 71, Anthony Kang (USA) 69 71, Phillip Archer 71 69, Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 66 74, Richard Bland 69 71, Martin Wiegele (Aut) 67 73
141 Graeme Storm 70 71, Mikael Lundberg (Swe) 71 70, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 70 71, Peter O'Malley (Aus) 69 72, Robert-Jan Derksen (Ned) 71 70, Richard McEvoy 69 72, Paul Waring 75 66, Gregory Havret (Fra) 72 69, Ariel Canete (Arg) 69 72, Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel) 68 73, Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 71 70, Markus Brier (Aut) 69 72, Sion Bebb 70 71, Peter Baker 71 70, Rick Kulacz (Aus) 71 70
142 Oskar Henningsson (Swe) 72 70, Julien Quesne (Fra) 71 71, Robert Coles 69 73, Graeme McDowell 70 72, Stephen Gallacher 70 72, Richard Finch 70 72, Pablo Martin (Spa) 73 69, Anthony Wall 72 70, Justin Rose 74 68, Matteo Manassero (Ita) 72 70, Jamie Donaldson 72 70, Barrie Trainor 69 73
MISSED THE CUT
143 Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 71 72, Francois Delamontagne (Fra) 67 76, David Horsey 72 71, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 71 72, Damian Mooney 72 71, Andrew Butterfield 72 71, Jeppe Huldahl (Den) 70 73, Gary Boyd 72 71, Gareth Maybin 71 72, George Coetzee (Rsa) 70 73
144 David Higgins 72 72, Simon Dyson 70 74, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 69 75, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 68 76, Daniel Vancsik (Arg) 72 72, Rafa Echenique (Arg) 76 68, Rhys Davies 72 72, Christian Nilsson (Swe) 69 75, David Lynn 73 71, Phillip Price 70 74
145 Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 72 73, Tano Goya (Arg) 72 73, Fredrik Ohlsson (Swe) 71 74, Peter Lawrie 72 73, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 74 71, James Kamte (Rsa) 72 73, Simon Thornton 71 74, Jose-Filipe Lima (Por) 78 67, Carlos Rodiles (Spa) 73 72
146 Victor Dubuisson (Fra) 71 75, Fabrizio Zanotti (Par) 70 76, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 71 75, David Carter 73 73, John Parry 69 77
147 Colm Moriarty 73 74, Chris Gane 78 69, Andrew Tampion (Aus) 72 75, Steve Webster 72 75, Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 71 76, Bradley Dredge 70 77, Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spa) 72 75, Clodomiro Carranza (Arg) 72 75
148 Ross McGowan 73 75, Benjamin Hebert (Fra) 73 75, Cian Curley 73 75, Alan Dunbar 72 76, Christian Cevaer (Fra) 72 76, Paul Cutler 73 75
149 Michael Campbell (Nzl) 72 77, Barry Lane 75 74, Carl Suneson (Spa) 74 75, Scott Strange (Aus) 72 77, Marco Ruiz (Par) 71 78, Peter Martin 75 74
150 Nick Dougherty 73 77, Oliver Fisher 74 76, Daniel Sugrue 74 76
151 Stephen Dodd 74 77, John Kelly 77 74, Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 77 74, Chapchai Nirat (Thai) 76 75, Andrew Coltart 79 72
152 Mikko Ilonen (Fin) 74 78, Michael Collins 79 73
153 Gary Murphy 75 78, SSP Chowrasia (Ind) 75 78, David Ryan 75 78
154 Pat Murray 78 76, Gary Lockerbie 77 77, Hennie Otto (Rsa) 71 83, Gary Cullen 77 77
156 Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 77 79
158 Jamie Elson 74 84, James Morrison 75 83
159 Philip Walton 79 80
RTD: Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 75, Sam Little 72
WD: Kenneth Ferrie 77
Labels: EUROPEAN TOUR
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