An
exhilarating display by Miguel Martin and Santiago Luna took Spain to the top
of the World Cup second round leaderboard on Friday as they went in search of
their country's fifth win in the tournament.
Martin and Luna outdid their playing-partners Tiger Woods and Mark O'Meara to
lead the Americans by a stroke but, with O'Meara at last finding form, the U.S.
team looks the chief threat to the Spaniards' hopes.
Rounds of five-under-par 66 apiece for Martin and Luna, who is nursing a minor
back strain, took Spain to 12-under-par 272.
O'Meara's eight-shot improvement with a 65, the joint-best round of the day and
the week so far, proved to be the key to the U.S. hauling up to second place on
273.
Woods double-bogeyed
again, as he did in the first round, but six birdies in a 68 earned him top place
in the individual section along with Martin and Welsh player Phil Price on seven-under-par
135.
Sweden
lie third, five off the lead, after rounds of 65 for Jarmo Sandelin and 66 for
Patrik Sjoland, with Argentina and Wales a further stroke back.
While Luna was able to work off his back problem with a physiotherapist, Martin
reported himself fully fit again after nearly a year suffering a similar wrist
injury to the one which put him out of the 1997 Ryder Cup.
Both Spaniards are relishing their good end of season form and the chance of taking
Spain to the title in the last World Cup of the millennium and before it changes
format to a World Golf Championship next year.
"Spain
won this event four times in eight years from 1976 but we haven't done a thing
in it since," said Martin.
"It's
time to put Spain back on the World Cup map and we can do it because we are both
in great form. We know we were playing with the best player in the world and the
man who won two majors last year but that does not intimidate us.
"They are like us with clubs
and ball and anyway, they were perfect gentlemen to play with. That was very relaxing."
O'Meara was
delighted with his seven birdies but is still looking for further improvement
for the weekend to collect another World Cup title for America.
"I helped my partner a little
bit today," said O'Meara, "and got my figures into the red, but there's still
work for me to do if we are going to win this."
Woods commented: "It was nice to see Mark making the birdies and both of us holing
some putts. We fed off each other nicely."
Lightning forced the players off with the top four men still to finish off the
18th. When the quartet returned after a two hours 15 minutes suspension it was
for four pars.
Overnight leaders Japan had to finish off two holes after the stoppage but Mamoru
Osanai and Mitsuo Harada had already spoiled their chances. They slipped down
to a share of eighth place on 284.
