Lucas Bjerregaard gains a three shot lead in Shanghai

November 14, 2015: Lucas Bjerregaard again excelled on Chinese soil as a superb six under par round of 66 moved the young Dane into a three-shot lead at the halfway stage of the BMW Masters.

Despite low temperatures and a stiff breeze at Lake Malaren Golf Club, Bjerregaard, who recently finished runner-up behind Justin Rose in the UBS Hong Kong Open, plundered seven birdies to climb to 12 under par.

His nearest rivals in Shanghai are Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee, whose round of 68 moved him to nine under par, and overnight leader Sergio Garcia, who followed his opening round of 64 with a 71 to finish on the same mark.

The Spaniard had maintained his lead for much of the second day following three birdies on the front nine, but a bogey on the 12th holed followed by a double bogey seven on the 13th, where his second shot found the water hazard, handed the initiative to Bjerregaard.

The English duo of Paul Casey and Ian Poulter moved ominously into contention on eight under par after carding respective rounds of 69 and 68, and they were joined on that score by Korean Byeong Hun An, who signed for a 71.

Peter Uihlein is one shot back in a share of seventh place after the American matched Bjerregaard’s round of 66, thanks in no small part to seven birdies in a row from the 15th hole.

Key quotes

Lucas Bjerregaard, 66 (-12): “It was a great round and obviously finished off with some good birdies coming in. Nothing much really happened on the first nine, I just played really solid. But it was a good bit tougher than yesterday with the wind up and some of the holes were playing really long, so I stayed patient and got my rewards in the end.

“It was fun playing with Pete [Uihlein]. He had seven birdies in a row, and I was cheering him on. He just missed out by an inch for his eighth in a row there, and I was really hoping that would go in. He’s a nice guy and we played three rounds together in Turkey, so I got to know him there and it was nice that we both played well today.”

Sergio Garcia, 71 (-9): “It was definitely much tougher today, and I still felt like I left at least three or four shots out there. But it was obviously difficult – if you didn’t hit the right shot at the right time, you could pay the price and I definitely did a couple of times. I made a really nice par on the 17th and a great four on the last, which is playing very difficult. So I’m not too upset, but I would have loved it to be a little bit better.”

Thongchai Jaidee, 68 (-9): “I’ve played solid the last two days. I hit 17 greens today, the only miss was on the last hole, where I made bogey. I hit some very good iron shots and also some good tee shots, plus my putting was solid, especially on the back nine. So it was a very good day, especially because the course was playing very tough today.”

Ian Poulter, 68 (-8): I played nicely, and it’s continuing my form from last week when I hit lots of greens in regulation and felt that I was leaving a lot of chances out there. But I’ve started to take a few chances the last couple of days, and I’ve played some solid golf. So on reflection, apart from the three bogeys, and two of those were with wedges in my hand, I’m feeling pretty good about things.

“I can’t remember the last time I had four birdies in a row, but it was nice to see a few birdies going in. The game has been there lately, so I know I’m playing well enough but I just haven’t been holing putts. But for the last three rounds I’ve changed something with my putting, it’s felt a lot better and obviously I’m making a few birdies now.”

Round Two scores

132 L Bjerregaard (Den) 66 66,
135 S Garcia (Esp) 64 71, T Jaidee (Tha) 67 68,
136 P Casey (Eng) 67 69, B An (Kor) 65 71, I Poulter (Eng) 68 68,
137 P Uihlein (USA) 71 66, R Fisher (Eng) 66 71,
138 F Molinari (Ita) 68 70, V Dubuisson (Fra) 65 73, M Kaymer (Ger) 69 69,
139 J Morrison (Eng) 70 69, J Quesne (Fra) 70 69, C Wood (Eng) 70 69, H Stenson (Swe) 68 71, S Kjeldsen (Den) 72 67, M Fitzpatrick (Eng) 68 71, J Rose (Eng) 67 72, K Broberg (Swe) 69 70,
140 M Fraser (Aus) 70 70, D Howell (Eng) 69 71, G Bourdy (Fra) 70 70, P Reed (USA) 71 69, B Wiesberger (Aut) 71 69, M Kieffer (Ger) 72 68, D Zecheng (Chn) 68 72, T Fleetwood (Eng) 72 68