Sullivan (61) shares lead with Warren at Vilamoura; Ramsay also has a 61
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Defending champion Andy Sullivan took a share of the lead into the weekend at the Portugal Masters after firing a brilliant 61 on day two at Victoria Clube de Golfe, Vilamoura.
The Englishman won the event last season by a record nine shots with a 23-under-par total, and another low scoring week had been expected, with many players talking up the possibility of the European Tour's first 59.
That barrier has yet to be broken but after overnight leader Marc Warren had added a 65 to his opening 63 to get to 14-under 128, Sullivan joined him with ten birdies that took his bogey-free run in Vilamoura to 56 holes.
Conditions were so favourable that Sullivan's effort only equalled the lowest round of the day and the season, with Scot Richie Ramsay also posting a 61 in the morning session to get to ten under.
The 14 under par total of 128 was the lowest 36-hole score this season achieved without preferred lies.
(Editor's note: Why do they play the Portugal Masters at a course which the pros find so easy when the Vilamoura Old Course, not all that far away, would be a much tougher test? They wouldn't be shooting 61 round it, that's for sure!)
Three-time Major Championship winner Padraig Harrington is without a win on the European Tour since his US PGA Championship triumph in 2008 but he fired a 63 to sit alongside Jens Fahrbring at 13 under.
The Swede is 174th in the Race to Dubai needing a top two finish to have a chance of keeping his card for next season, and he followed up his opening 65 with a 64.
American David Lipsky was then at 12 under after a 66, a shot clear of Frenchmen Raphaël Jacquelin and Edouard España, England's Paul Waring and Finn Mikko Korhonen.
At 116th in the Race to Dubai, Korhonen is another player looking for a good weekend to keep his playing privileges.
Sullivan had said coming into the tournament that a cold putter was the only thing holding him back in recent weeks and while he putted with great confidence on Friday, some sensational iron play meant he was never out of range.
After turning in 31 he put shots to inside six feet on the tenth and 11th and then just missed an eagle putt on the 12th. A 15-footer on the 14th had his large travelling band of fans cheering and when he knocked it close on the 15th and took advantage of the par five 17th, he was ten under for the day.
"I knew I needed to go low today to get a beat on the leaders," he said. "So to go out there and shoot that score is absolutely fantastic. I had thoughts of 59 coming down the stretch there, but it wasn't to be. It's fantastic being on top of the leaderboard and giving myself a chance going into the weekend.
"The game's felt good for a long time. The putter's just been a bit cold and today I just holed a couple of good putts out there just to get the momentum going. It only takes a couple of putts to go in and you start seeing it go in all the time.
"More of the same for me. I know last year, I was aggressive the whole way around and I know I've got to be aggressive again."
Warren, starting on the tenth, turned in 33 with birdies on the 12th, 14th and 15th and when he made further gains on the second, third and sixth, he was nine under for the week on the opening six holes.
He recorded just his second bogey of the week with a five on the seventh for the second consecutive day but an impressive lengthy putt on the ninth handed him a sizeable advantage which the afternoon starters then went about reducing.
"I'm really pleased," he said. "It's always tough to follow up a really good score like yesterday. It was good, I tried to stay as patient as I possibly could out there and nice to finish with a three at the last.
"I had a good finish at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, I feel as if a bit of pressure has come off and I can look forward and try to qualify for some events at the end of the year. It's a much nicer place to be playing your golf, as opposed to looking backwards all the time."
Harrington recorded nine birdies and a bogey - highlighted by a bladed chip-in on the 11th and a 42-foot putt on the 16th - while Fahrbring made nine birdies and two bogeys.
English trio Simon Dyson, Chris Paisley and Callum Shinkwin, Scottish duo Ramsay (71-61 for 132) and Paul Lawrie (66-66 for 132), Spaniard Nacho Elvira, Swede Joakim Lagergren and South African Trevor Fisher Jnr completed the top ten.
Saturday's third round will begin at 11am in three-balls off two tees.
+A total of 77 players with 36-hole scores of four-under-par (138) and better qualified for the weekend rounds.
HALFWAY SCOREBOARD
par 142 (2x71)
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Defending champion Andy Sullivan took a share of the lead into the weekend at the Portugal Masters after firing a brilliant 61 on day two at Victoria Clube de Golfe, Vilamoura.
The Englishman won the event last season by a record nine shots with a 23-under-par total, and another low scoring week had been expected, with many players talking up the possibility of the European Tour's first 59.
That barrier has yet to be broken but after overnight leader Marc Warren had added a 65 to his opening 63 to get to 14-under 128, Sullivan joined him with ten birdies that took his bogey-free run in Vilamoura to 56 holes.
Conditions were so favourable that Sullivan's effort only equalled the lowest round of the day and the season, with Scot Richie Ramsay also posting a 61 in the morning session to get to ten under.
The 14 under par total of 128 was the lowest 36-hole score this season achieved without preferred lies.
(Editor's note: Why do they play the Portugal Masters at a course which the pros find so easy when the Vilamoura Old Course, not all that far away, would be a much tougher test? They wouldn't be shooting 61 round it, that's for sure!)
Three-time Major Championship winner Padraig Harrington is without a win on the European Tour since his US PGA Championship triumph in 2008 but he fired a 63 to sit alongside Jens Fahrbring at 13 under.
The Swede is 174th in the Race to Dubai needing a top two finish to have a chance of keeping his card for next season, and he followed up his opening 65 with a 64.
American David Lipsky was then at 12 under after a 66, a shot clear of Frenchmen Raphaël Jacquelin and Edouard España, England's Paul Waring and Finn Mikko Korhonen.
At 116th in the Race to Dubai, Korhonen is another player looking for a good weekend to keep his playing privileges.
Sullivan had said coming into the tournament that a cold putter was the only thing holding him back in recent weeks and while he putted with great confidence on Friday, some sensational iron play meant he was never out of range.
After turning in 31 he put shots to inside six feet on the tenth and 11th and then just missed an eagle putt on the 12th. A 15-footer on the 14th had his large travelling band of fans cheering and when he knocked it close on the 15th and took advantage of the par five 17th, he was ten under for the day.
"I knew I needed to go low today to get a beat on the leaders," he said. "So to go out there and shoot that score is absolutely fantastic. I had thoughts of 59 coming down the stretch there, but it wasn't to be. It's fantastic being on top of the leaderboard and giving myself a chance going into the weekend.
"The game's felt good for a long time. The putter's just been a bit cold and today I just holed a couple of good putts out there just to get the momentum going. It only takes a couple of putts to go in and you start seeing it go in all the time.
"More of the same for me. I know last year, I was aggressive the whole way around and I know I've got to be aggressive again."
Warren, starting on the tenth, turned in 33 with birdies on the 12th, 14th and 15th and when he made further gains on the second, third and sixth, he was nine under for the week on the opening six holes.
He recorded just his second bogey of the week with a five on the seventh for the second consecutive day but an impressive lengthy putt on the ninth handed him a sizeable advantage which the afternoon starters then went about reducing.
"I'm really pleased," he said. "It's always tough to follow up a really good score like yesterday. It was good, I tried to stay as patient as I possibly could out there and nice to finish with a three at the last.
"I had a good finish at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, I feel as if a bit of pressure has come off and I can look forward and try to qualify for some events at the end of the year. It's a much nicer place to be playing your golf, as opposed to looking backwards all the time."
Harrington recorded nine birdies and a bogey - highlighted by a bladed chip-in on the 11th and a 42-foot putt on the 16th - while Fahrbring made nine birdies and two bogeys.
English trio Simon Dyson, Chris Paisley and Callum Shinkwin, Scottish duo Ramsay (71-61 for 132) and Paul Lawrie (66-66 for 132), Spaniard Nacho Elvira, Swede Joakim Lagergren and South African Trevor Fisher Jnr completed the top ten.
Saturday's third round will begin at 11am in three-balls off two tees.
+A total of 77 players with 36-hole scores of four-under-par (138) and better qualified for the weekend rounds.
HALFWAY SCOREBOARD
par 142 (2x71)
T 1 Sullivan A. | -14 | F | -10 | 67 | 61 | 128 | |||||
T1 | Warren M. | -14 | F | -6 | 63 | 65 | 128 | ||||
T3 | Fahrbring J. | -13 | F | -7 | 65 | 64 | 129 | ||||
T3 | Harrington P. | -13 | F | -8 | 66 | 63 | 129 | ||||
5 | Lipsky D. | -12 | F | -5 | 64 | 66 | 130 | ||||
T6 | Espana E. | -11 | 17 | -5 | 65 | 62 | 127 | ||||
T6 | Jacquelin R. | -11 | F | -6 | 66 | 65 | 131 | ||||
T6 | Korhonen M. | -11 | F | -4 | 64 | 67 | 131 | ||||
T6 | Waring P. | -11 | F | -7 | 67 | 64 | 131 | ||||
T10 | Dyson S. | -10 | F | -6 | 67 | 65 | 132 | ||||
T10 | Elvira N. | -10 | F | -4 | 65 | 67 | 132 | ||||
T10 | Fisher T. Jr. | -10 | F | -8 | 69 | 63 | 132 | ||||
T10 | Lagergren J. | -10 | F | -5 | 66 | 66 | 132 | ||||
T10 | Lawrie Paul. | -10 | F | -5 | 66 | 66 | 132 | ||||
T10 | Paisley Ch. | -10 | F | -4 | 65 | 67 | 132 | ||||
T10 | Ramsay R. | -10 | F | -10 | 71 | 61 | 132 | ||||
T10 | Shinkwin C. | -10 | F | -3 | 64 | 68 | 132 | ||||
T18 | Baldwin M. | -9 | F | -2 | 64 | 69 | 133 | ||||
T18 | Campillo J. | -9 | F | -7 | 69 | 64 | 133 | ||||
T18 | Fisher O. | -9 | F | -4 | 66 | 67 | 133 | ||||
T18 | Hansen A. | -9 | F | -5 | 67 | 66 | 133 | ||||
T18 | Jamieson S. | -9 | F | -7 | 69 | 64 | 133 | ||||
T18 | Karlsson R. | -9 | F | -9 | 71 | 62 | 133 | ||||
T18 | Rock R. | -9 | F | -5 | 67 | 66 | 133 | ||||
T18 | Rumford B. | -9 | F | -5 | 67 | 66 | 133 | ||||
T18 | Walters J. | -9 | F | -5 | 67 | 66 | 133 | ||||
T27 | Bjerregaard L. | -8 | F | -4 | 67 | 67 | 134 | ||||
T27 | Carlsson J. | -8 | F | -5 | 68 | 66 | 134 | ||||
T27 | Coetzee G. | -8 | F | -3 | 66 | 68 | 134 | ||||
T27 | Drysdale D. | -8 | F | -6 | 69 | 65 | 134 | ||||
T27 | Gouveia R. | -8 | F | -3 | 66 | 68 | 134 | ||||
T27 | Meesawat P. | -8 | F | -4 | 67 | 67 | 134 | ||||
T27 | Noren A. | -8 | F | -4 | 67 | 67 | 134 | ||||
T27 | Scrivener J. | -8 | F | -5 | 68 | 66 | 134 | ||||
T27 | Siem M. | -8 | F | -4 | 67 | 67 | 134 | ||||
T27 | Storm G. | -8 | F | -5 | 68 | 66 | 134 | ||||
T37 | Aiken T. | -7 | F | -3 | 67 | 68 | 135 | ||||
T37 | Canizares A. | -7 | F | -1 | 65 | 70 | 135 | ||||
T37 | De La Riva E. | -7 | F | -4 | 68 | 67 | 135 | ||||
T37 | Fleetwood T. | -7 | F | -3 | 67 | 68 | 135 | ||||
T37 | Gallacher S. | -7 | F | -3 | 67 | 68 | 135 | ||||
T37 | Horsey D. | -7 | F | -4 | 68 | 67 | 135 | ||||
T37 | Southgate M. | -7 | F | -4 | 68 | 67 | 135 | ||||
T44 | Berardo C. | -6 | F | -5 | 70 | 66 | 136 | ||||
T44 | Dinwiddie R. | -6 | F | -3 | 68 | 68 | 136 | ||||
T44 | Hanson C. | -6 | F | -3 | 68 | 68 | 136 | ||||
T44 | Hanson P. | -6 | F | -3 | 68 | 68 | 136 | ||||
T44 | Hebert B. | -6 | F | -5 | 70 | 66 | 136 | ||||
T44 | Im D. | -6 | F | -3 | 68 | 68 | 136 | ||||
T44 | Jensen L. | -6 | F | -1 | 66 | 70 | 136 | ||||
T44 | Khan S. | -6 | F | -4 | 69 | 67 | 136 | ||||
T44 | Kieffer M. | -6 | F | -3 | 68 | 68 | 136 | ||||
T44 | Lewis T. | -6 | F | -6 | 71 | 65 | 136 | ||||
T44 | Linard T. | -6 | F | -6 | 71 | 65 | 136 | ||||
T44 | Lundberg M. | -6 | F | -6 | 71 | 65 | 136 | ||||
T44 | Olesen T. | -6 | F | -4 | 69 | 67 | 136 | ||||
T57 | Bertasio N. | -5 | F | -3 | 69 | 68 | 137 | ||||
T57 | Colsaerts N. | -5 | F | -1 | 67 | 70 | 137 | ||||
T57 | Edberg P. | -5 | F | -4 | 70 | 67 | 137 | ||||
T57 | Evans R. | -5 | F | 0 | 66 | 71 | 137 | ||||
T57 | Fasth N. | -5 | F | -3 | 69 | 68 | 137 | ||||
T57 | Parry J. | -5 | F | -3 | 69 | 68 | 137 | ||||
T57 | Wall A. | -5 | F | -3 | 69 | 68 | 137 | ||||
T57 | Webster S. | -5 | F | -4 | 70 | 67 | 137 | ||||
T65 | Aguilar F. | -4 | F | -4 | 71 | 67 | 138 | ||||
T65 | Brooks D. | -4 | F | -2 | 69 | 69 | 138 | ||||
T65 | Ford M. | -4 | F | -2 | 69 | 69 | 138 | ||||
T65 | Fritsch F. | -4 | F | -3 | 70 | 68 | 138 | ||||
T65 | Hansen J. | -4 | F | -1 | 68 | 70 | 138 | ||||
T65 | Hugo J. | -4 | F | -4 | 71 | 67 | 138 | ||||
T65 | McEvoy R. | -4 | F | -4 | 71 | 67 | 138 | ||||
T65 | Nemecz L. | -4 | F | -3 | 70 | 68 | 138 | ||||
T65 | Paratore R. | -4 | F | 0 | 67 | 71 | 138 | ||||
T65 | Peterson P. | -4 | F | 0 | 67 | 71 | 138 | ||||
T65 | Pieters T. | -4 | F | -2 | 69 | 69 | 138 | ||||
T65 | Quiros A. | -4 | F | -2 | 69 | 69 | 138 | ||||
T65 | Yang Y. E. | -4 | F | -3 | 70 | 68 | 138 | ||||
CUT | Laporta F. | -3 | F | -5 | 73 | 66 | 139 | ||||
CUT | Lee C. | -3 | F | -5 | 73 | 66 | 139 | ||||
CUT | Madsen M. | -3 | F | -3 | 71 | 68 | 139 | ||||
CUT | Manley S. | -3 | F | -4 | 72 | 67 | 139 | ||||
CUT | Quesne J. | -3 | F | -1 | 69 | 70 | 139 | ||||
CUT | Virto B. | -3 | F | -3 | 71 | 68 | 139 | ||||
CUT | Dunne P. | -2 | F | -4 | 73 | 67 | 140 | ||||
CUT | Foster M. | -2 | F | -2 | 71 | 69 | 140 | ||||
CUT | Havret G. | -2 | F | -3 | 72 | 68 | 140 | ||||
CUT | Howell D. | -2 | F | -1 | 70 | 70 | 140 | ||||
CUT | Larrazabal P. | -2 | F | -2 | 71 | 69 | 140 | ||||
CUT | Manassero M. | -2 | F | 0 | 69 | 71 | 140 | ||||
CUT | Olazabal J. M. | -2 | F | -4 | 73 | 67 | 140 | ||||
CUT | Oriol P. | -2 | F | -5 | 74 | 66 | 140 | ||||
CUT | Pepperell E. | -2 | F | +5 | 64 | 76 | 140 | ||||
CUT | Slattery L. | -2 | F | -2 | 71 | 69 | 140 | ||||
CUT | Canter L. | -1 | F | -2 | 72 | 69 | 141 | ||||
CUT | Morrison J. | -1 | F | -1 | 71 | 70 | 141 | ||||
CUT | Boyd G. | 0 | F | 0 | 71 | 71 | 142 | ||||
CUT | Broberg K. | 0 | F | +2 | 69 | 73 | 142 | ||||
CUT | Davies R. | 0 | F | 0 | 71 | 71 | 142 | ||||
CUT | Gavins D. | 0 | F | +1 | 70 | 72 | 142 | ||||
CUT | Gros S. | 0 | F | +2 | 69 | 73 | 142 | ||||
CUT | Porteous H. | 0 | F | +1 | 70 | 72 | 142 | ||||
CUT | Stal G. | 0 | F | -1 | 72 | 70 | 142 | ||||
CUT | Wattel R. | 0 | F | -2 | 73 | 69 | 142 | ||||
CUT | Evans B. | +1 | F | +6 | 66 | 77 | 143 | ||||
CUT | Figueiredo P. | +1 | F | -1 | 73 | 70 | 143 | ||||
CUT | Kakko R. | +1 | F | -3 | 75 | 68 | 143 | ||||
CUT | Robinson J. | +1 | F | +3 | 69 | 74 | 143 | ||||
CUT | Carlsson M. | +2 | F | +5 | 68 | 76 | 144 | ||||
CUT | Lencart Silva P. | +2 | F | -1 | 74 | 70 | 144 | ||||
CUT | Otaegui A. | +2 | F | -1 | 74 | 70 | 144 | ||||
CUT | Winther J. | +2 | F | +2 | 71 | 73 | 144 | ||||
CUT | Carlota J. | +3 | F | -1 | 75 | 70 | 145 | ||||
CUT | Green R. | +3 | F | 0 | 74 | 71 | 145 | ||||
CUT | McArthur A. | +3 | F | +4 | 70 | 75 | 145 | ||||
CUT | McLeary J. | +3 | F | -1 | 75 | 70 | 145 | ||||
CUT | Hoey M. | +4 | F | +2 | 73 | 73 | 146 | ||||
RET | McGowan R. | +4 | 9 | +1 | 74 | 37 | 111 | ||||
CUT | Molinari E. | +4 | F | +3 | 72 | 74 | 146 | ||||
CUT | Ramos J. | +5 | F | +6 | 70 | 77 | 147 | ||||
CUT | Dixon D. | +6 | F | +5 | 72 | 76 | 148 | ||||
CUT | Wilson O. | +6 | F | +1 | 76 | 72 | 148 | ||||
CUT | Akesson B. | +7 | F | +6 | 72 | 77 | 149 | ||||
CUT | Busby J. | +8 | F | +1 | 78 | 72 | 150 | ||||
CUT | Cruz T. | +9 | F | +4 | 76 | 75 | 151 | ||||
CUT | Santos H. | +10 | F | +8 | 73 | 79 | 152 | ||||
CUT | Silva T. | +11 | F | +8 | 74 | 79 | 153 |
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