Noren leads as Lewis pulls out
Alexander Noren took over at the top at the Castello Masters in Spain on Friday, while last week’s winner Tom Lewis pulled out.
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.
Latest
-
European TourKeith Pelley hits back at 16 players threatening DP World Tour with legal action
Pelley says the sanctions against players who competed in the first LIV Golf event are ‘proportionate’ and ‘fair’.
-
PGA TourJT Poston takes two-shot lead at John Deere Classic
The 29-year-old also became the first player on record to open consecutive Tour events with 62 or better.
-
European TourRyan Fox surprised to be leading after opening round of Horizon Irish Open
The New Zealander carded a flawless 64 to set the pace at Mount Juliet.
-
NewsDefiant Lee Westwood does not believe playing in LIV should harm Ryder Cup hopes
Westwood doesn’t agree with penalties and sanctions.
-
NewsShane Lowry welcomes closer ties between Tours in response to threat from LIV
The PGA Tour and DP World Tour announced the next phase of their strategic alliance.
-
NewsPadraig Harrington fears LIV series poses threat to future of DP World Tour
The US Senior Open champion thinks there is only room for the PGA and one other tour in the world game.
-
NewsSteve Stricker makes Padraig Harrington sweat as Irishman wins US Senior Open
The pair were rival captains in last year’s Ryder Cup in Wisconsin.
-
NewsGolfers warned of further sanctions if they continue to play in LIV breakaway
The DP World Tour has issued fines of £100,000 and tournament bans to its members who played in the inaugural LIV Golf event earlier this month
-
European TourDP World Tour hits members who played inaugural LIV series with £100,000 fines
They have also been banned from several forthcoming tournaments including the Scottish Open.
-
NewsRory McIlroy not impressed as Brooks Koepka becomes latest big name to join LIV
The world number two labelled the players who have joined the new series as “duplicitous” for the way they have handled their breakaway.