|
Peter Hedblom vaults clear with 65
Sweden's Peter Hedblom shot a sparkling seven-under-par 65 in the BMW Championship second round to surge into a three-stroke lead on Friday.
After moving to 11-under-par 133, three shots ahead of Ireland's Ryder Cup player Paul McGinley, Hedblom is on course for only his second tour title following the 1996 Moroccan Open.
A bogey on the first followed by eight birdies in 14 holes gave him hope of being yet another surprise winner of Europe's flagship event, following recent victories by Andrew Oldcorn, Anders Hansen and last year's champion Scott Drummond.
"It's been a long, long journey since the last time I won," said the 35-year-old Swede, who broke his leg playing ice hockey in 2001 and took two years to fight back to full fitness.
"I'd been struggling since breaking my leg but things have been improving, apart from my putting.
"If you don't hole putts, you are not going to win a lot.
"Today it was amazing. Even if I'd tried I wouldn't miss.
"This is only the second time I've led after two rounds and the last time was in Morocco."
McGinley came within a stroke of the course record with a faultless 64, including an eagle and six birdies.
Australia's perennial runner-up Nick O'Hern set up yet another chance of breaking his European Tour duck to lie third, four shots off the pace, following a 69.
Ireland's Padraig Harrington overcame further neck problems to share fourth place, with another Swede, 2005 Spanish Open winner Peter Hanson, five shots off the lead.
McGinley's playing partner Ben Curtis, the 2003 British Open champion, bogeyed the last to drop from fourth place into a group of five players on five under.
Being written into golfing history as the man who sank the winning putt in the 2002 Ryder Cup is not enough for McGinley, who has only won three times in his 14-year professional career.
"I've had two great Ryder Cup experiences in extreme pressure," he said. "But my win ratio is not good enough.
Tournament favourite and world number three Ernie Els birdied the last three holes for a 69 to ensure he made the cut and Colin Montgomerie, a winner four times at Wentworth, picked up two shots over the last three holes to ensure his involvement over the weekend.
Email
this page to a friend | Return
to top of page |