Walton Punished in Pula Day Two

An opening double bogey for Philip Walton on day two of his maiden European Senior Tour  event led to a loss of the valuable momentum gained on Friday, adding to the score of 74 by the end of Saturday.

A bogey on the eighteenth par 3 led him to drop back 19 places and remain seven strokes off the joint leaders Gary Wolstenholme and Paul Wesselingh at the Mallorca Open Senior.

Des Smyth signed for a second round of 74 and lies +6 ahead of Sunday, a stroke ahead of Eamonn Darcy  and two ahead of Denis O'Sullivan who signed for  a 73.

Jimmy Heggarty finished Saturday carding 81.

A superb five under par 66 propelled Englishman Wolstenholme into a share of the lead at six under par alongside compatriot Wesselingh. However the pair have a host of contenders lurking close behind following the second round of the Senior Tour’s opening event of 2012.

Wolstenholme, who signed for a one under par round of 70 at Pula Golf Club on Friday, made seven birdies over the course of an impressive showing on the Balearic Island, while Wesselingh, who, having continued the fine form that saw him seize a share of the first round lead, carded a second consecutive three under par 68 that included five birdies, meaning the fellow countrymen will take a slim lead into Sunday’s final round, one shot clear of a trio at five under par.

Beginning the day two shots behind the overnight leaders, Wolstenholme, the 2011 Senior Tour Rookie of the Year, came flying out of the blocks at the José María Olazábal-designed layout on Saturday morning, finding birdie at the short second after a monstrous 40-foot putt.

He found another birdie at the par four fourth, while a bogey five at the seventh was sandwiched between a further two birdies at the long sixth and par three eighth holes – thanks to another sizeable putt – helping him reach the turn in 33 blows.

The Egham-born man matched this total coming home, finding a further three birdies on the back nine at the 11th, 13th, and 15th holes with a second bogey of the day at the par four 17th as the 2010 Casa Serena Open Champion vies for his second Senior Tour title in Spain this week. 

He said: “It’s funny how things work out, yesterday I played average and today was better. This is my first tournament here and it’s a tough course so I can’t expect miracles, but I learned a few things from the silly mistakes I made yesterday and I have been hitting great shots.” 

Wesselingh, playing his first event since claiming a card for this season with a second place finish at the Qualifying School earlier this year, again produced another solid round with just two bogeys coming at the par four fifth and 16th holes while the Kedleston Park pro found birdies at the second, fourth, and seventh holes on the front nine to reach the turn two under par for the day, with back-to-back birdies on the short 13th and par four 14th giving the 51 year old a share of the lead with one round remaining.

A makeable birdie putt at 18 that would have given him outright possession of the lead failed to drop, but it was still a satisfying day for the Liverpudlian considering the circumstances.

"I played really good, very solid play I am happy how it all went,” said Wesselingh. “This is the first tournament for me and I never expected to start this way, I didn't come out with any expectations, only to finish top 30 this year.

“But I had two great draws that helped a lot, I played with DJ Russell yesterday, who was a pro in my club, and Dick Mast today, who I played two rounds with at the School, so they were great rounds that have really settled me in. I am delighted. I will look forward tomorrow, with no more expectations other than enjoy it.”

Australia’s Mike Harwood, a five time winner on The European Tour, looked to be putting the best round of the day together having reached the 16th tee at six under par, but successive bogeys at the final two par fours mean he will have to make do with a three-way tie for third place alongside Paraguay’s Angel Franco and Spain’s Juan Quiros – who both shot rounds of 68 – one shot back going into Sunday.

Andrew Sherborne of England (67) and Spain’s Manuel Moreno (70) are a further two shots back, while the other co-leaders following Friday’s first round, America’s Dick Mast and England’s David J Russell, both struggled to find the form that took them to the top of the leaderboard after the first round, matching each other with four bogeys and three birdies on the way to one over par rounds of 72.

Mast and Russell sit four off the pace alongside 2011 John Jacobs Trophy winner Peter Fowler (71) and last season’s Number Two, England’s Barry Lane (69), with a fascinating day in store in Sunday’s deciding round as the congested field contests for the €30,000 first prize in the inaugural Senior Tour event of the 2012 season.

No Madeira for Irish Trio

There will be no repeating of Michael Hoey's victory last year at Porto Santo Golfe in Madeira as all three Irish players failed to earn weekend playing rights this year. Or indeed that of Des Smyth in 2001 at Santo da Serra. 

Including Colm Moriarty, who within twenty-four hours of tasting the upside of European Tour golf, was left to reflect on the darker side of the game when a second round 75 left the Athlone man one stoke outside the cut at the Madeira Islands Open - Portugal.

A double bogey on the par 5 seventh hole causing the most damage on his card, sending  Moriarty on an early flight home than he would have planned after the opening day day 67.

Simon Thornton who signed for a level par round and paid the price for his opening 76 on Thursday and  also leaves early. 

Dara Ford also ended his appearance with a 78 on Friday.

At the top of the leader board though it was Ryder Cup player Oliver Wilson who found form at a European Tour event for the first time since November 2008 after a sublime seven under par 65 in the second round.

The Englishman, who lost his European Tour card after finishing 130th in The Race to Dubai last year, showed signs he is rediscovering his best form, having not dropped a shot in two rounds at Santo da Serra to lead by one from Swedish pair Magnus A Carlsson and Joakim Lagergren, who both had two rounds of 66, and England’s Andy Sullivan, who shone with a 64.

Wilson has made eight appearances so far this season – six as a sponsor’s invitation – but has made just €22,084, so he is particularly pleased to be leading the way as he attempts to win a maiden European Tour title. The last time he was in pole position on The European Tour was after 54 holes of the 2008 Hong Kong Open (part of the 2009 International Schedule).

“I played nicely,” said the 31 year old, who was in the European Team at the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla. “The fact I haven’t had a bogey for two rounds shows I’m playing solidly and sensibly.

“I actually feel like I left a few out there today. I missed three putts from inside six feet. But I made a couple of really good par saves – not from bad shots, just because the course is tricky.

“There’s a long way to go and the scoring will carry on being low, but I’ll keep pushing on trying to make birdies. There will inevitably be some mistakes at the weekend but it’s just a question of trying to limit them. You’ve got to be patient.

“The course is playing very differently from how it was yesterday. It’s a lot softer today and the ball is stopping very quickly on the greens, which wasn’t the case yesterday. It was easier hitting into the greens today.”

Wilson, who has finished runner-up nine times in his European Tour career, credited a technical alteration for his better form, adding: “I changed the loft in my putter and it is working. The less I think about the set-up the better, and if you are standing over putts and know they are rolling well, it makes a big difference.”

Sullivan, a Walker Cup player in 2011, also had a bogey-free day and attributed his superb round, which featured six birdies and an eagle, to an improved putting technique.

"It's just great to see the ball rolling into the hole," said the 24 year old. "It makes a nice change. I saw (putting coach) Phil Kenyon last Friday and we've changed a few things technique-wise, and it seems to be paying off.

"I'm hitting the ball nicely too. It's the first time I've been in this position so I'm just going to take it as it comes and try and enjoy it. The only thing I can do is keep doing what I've been doing, as it's worked so far.

"I'd heard a lot about this event from the other guys - about how bad the weather can be and the delays - but it's been excellent so far and I'm enjoying it."

Lagergren is another player who is new to The European Tour, and the 20 year old Qualifying School graduate is delighted with the way he is playing.

“My ball striking is the best aspect of my game this week,” said the rookie, whose stepfather is Ola Eliasson, the former European Tour player. “I played really badly in the final round in Seville last week so it is nice to be playing better.

“I hit lots of greens in regulation today and I just played solidly all round. It’s the first time I’ve played this course. It’s a funny course – very slopey, but that’s not a negative.

“I’ve made four cuts in a row coming here so I’m feeling very confident. I’m really enjoying my first year on Tour and the other guys are looking after me.”

Ricardo Santos, a graduate from the 2011 Challenge Tour, is the leading Portuguese player at nine under, while Nuno Henriques delighted the home crowds with an albatross at the par five 11th, holing his second shot with a four iron.

McIlroy Misses Sawgrass Cut

World number one Rory McIlroy suffered more Sawgrass misery as he crashed out of the Players Championship in Florida.

McIlroy missed the halfway cut for the third time in three visits after a second round of 76 left him on four over.

"There's something about this course I can't quite get to grips with," said Mcllroy. "It's disappointing."

Matt Kuchar, Zach Johnson and Kevin Na are at the top of the leaderboard on eight under.

Luke Donald improved on his opening round of 72 with a second round of 69 to move to three under - the same mark as Westwood but five shots behind the joint leaders.

Donald, who started on the 10th hole, eagled the 16th and second, first hitting a five-iron to six feet and then making a 20-footer, but then undid some of his good work before a closing birdie on the ninth.

"It could have been a special round," he said. "I threw in a couple of bad swings, but 69 is not a bad score.

"I am quietly optimistic. I think this course is only going to get tougher and eight or nine under could be a good score come Sunday."

Westwood said: "I didn't play as well as yesterday, but I'm shot one better off - that's golf.

"I'm playing all right. I like this course and it suits me.

"I suppose three under is in touch. Hopefully it will firm up and the greens will get quicker."

First round leaders Martin Laird and Ian Poulter both slipped down the leaderboard.

The Scot was in good form until the final three holes, but then found the water with his second shot to the long 16th and then hit a poor tee shot on the short 17th to find the same lake.

Those errors cost him a bogey six and a double bogey five, and his misery was complete when he left a chip well short on the last and bogeyed again to drop from 10 under to six under - two behind the leaders.

"That's what this course will do to you," he said. "I got a bit greedy with a four iron to the 16th - it was a stupid shot - and was between clubs at the 17th.

"A nine iron was too much and a wedge not enough, but I didn't hit it real solid and the wind got it. It was a bad shot.

"But I'm still well in it. I'd have taken my position before the start."

Poulter is on three under after a 76.

McIlroy's record at Sawgrass

2011: Did not play

2010: Missed cut (+1)

2009: Missed cut (+7)