Italian Open latest: Molinari in front

Home favourite Francesco Molinari has given the Turin locals plenty to cheer about at the BMW Italian Open.
Home favourite Francesco Molinari gave the locals plenty to cheer about on Friday when he moved to the top of the leaderboard at the BMW Italian Open
Two shots behind first-day early-starters and first-round leaders Chris Wood and Robert Rock, the Italian Ryder Cup star came home with a second round 68 on a tougher day at the Royal Park I Roveri course in ‘home town’ Turin to move into a tie for the early clubhouse lead with seasoned French campaigner Gregory Bourday and talented Welsh young gun Rhys Davies.
All three added 4-under 68s to the 66s they had shot in Thursday’s first round.
Matteo Manassero, the other big local favourite who had figured high on the first round leaderboard with a 66, had, in the meantime, got away to a fast start with a birdie at his first hole that had taken the 19-year-old Italian whiz kid to 7-under
England’s Gary Boyd had also just moved into the tie at the top at 10-under after birdying the 17th.
He would go on to post a par on the last for a best-of-the-day 65 to cement his place in the early clubhouse 4-man tie for the lead.
At this stage, when Wood and Rock had not yet teed off, India’s Jeev Milkha Sing was a shot behind the leaders at nine-under after a second round 66 and Italy’s Lorenzo Gagli was tied with him after 16 holes.
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