Noren leads as Lewis pulls out

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October 21, 2011

Alexander Noren took over at the top at the Castello Masters in Spain on Friday, while last week’s winner Tom Lewis pulled out.

The 20-year-old Lewis, who grabbed headlines last week by winning his first European tour title in only his third start as a progfessional, came in to the event complaining that he was under the weather, but soldiered on through the first round on Thursday, eventually carding a level-par 71.

But as Swede Alexander Noren was posting a superb 63 to take over at the top on 10 under today, Lewis decided to leave his playing partners for the opening two rounds, Sergio Garcia and Matteo Manassero, to play on their own in the second round.

Garcia and Manassero will resume this afternoon on four under and two under par respectively, and they’ll have their work cut out for them if they’re to catch Noren, who made eight birdies in his round of 63 as he searches for his third win of the season.

The 29-year-old leads by two shots from first-round leader Ross McGowan, who was not able to add significantly to his overnight total, though he did recover from a couple of early bogeys to shoot one-under 70.

Englishman Richard McEvoy and Scot Richie Ramsay – also round in 63 – are one further back in joint third.

“It didn’t feel that good on the range, but I found my swing early on,” said Noren.

“I kept fading it all day and holed a lot of putts. I played probably the best I’ve ever played on the front nine – I had a lot of chances.”

McGowan, meanwhile, needs to climb into the top 115 on the Race to Dubai in order to keep his card for next year. He currently lies in 163rd place.

He kept himself in the picture on Friday, recovering from two bogeys early on to make birdie at the fourth, eighth and 11th.

Past and present Ryder Cup captains Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal are on two over and four over respectively and are both looking likely to miss the halfway cut, although Montgomerie still has a chance if some of the later starters drop further down the field.

John Daly shot a 70 to lie one over and should be around for the weekend.

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