14 August 2021: Rhys Enoch and Dale Whitnell share a one-stroke lead heading into the weekend at the Cazoo Classic, where British players dominate the leaderboard in the final event of the European Tour’s UK Swing. Shubhankar Sharma was the lone remaining Indian in the field at 3-under through two rounds. Gaganjeet Bhullar (73-72), SSP Chawrasia (75-71), Shiv Kapur (76-70) and Ajeetesh Sandhu (76-76) will all miss out on the weekend.
Working off a 76 in the opening round, Shiv Kapur was working with his back to the wall. But he produced some brilliant golf including four straight birdies from the second hole. In all he made six birdies and ten pars, but conceded doubles on the par-3 eleventh and the par-4 first to settle for a 70. It wasn’t enough to earn Shiv his first weekend this season.
Shubhankar built his round on the strength of five birdies in a nine hole stretch from the fourth. After making 70 and 71 in the first two rounds, the Indian will hope to go low this weekend in an effort to push higher up from 124th on the Race to Dubai standings.
Welshman Enoch carded the round of the day at London Golf Club with a bogey-free seven under 65 which moved him to a ten under par total. The 33-year-old already has two Sunshine Tour titles and one Challenge Tour victory to his name, but will enter the weekend seeking a maiden European Tour win.
“I haven’t had time to think about the round yet, I was a bit concerned about how bumpy the green were going to get with this poana grass but I’m chuffed to get into the house with a 65.
“It was really a bit of a grind, but you just have to put one foot in front of the other, play hole-by-hole and we managed to do that.
“The greens are tricky and all the guys know how hard holing out is here so I’m very happy. I was in trouble a couple of times, hit a really good bunker shot on the second to get me out of trouble. Other than that I managed to keep the pace good and hole a couple of long ones and turn in a 65.
“I had a little run though the mid part of the season, played nicely and almost led in Gran Canaria and led in Tenerife, so I’ve been putting myself up there. But I had a little bit of a four-to-six week spell where I felt a bit run down, a bit tired, lost a bit of game and hopefully that was rock bottom and I’ve come back up.
“It’s not my first time leading, Sweden was my first time, got that out of the way so it’s not a new experience anymore. I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m doing and see what happens.”
Whitnell, meanwhile, has never led or shared a lead after any round on the European Tour and the Englishman is also seeking a first victory. His four under 68 also came without a single dropped shot and the 33-year-old parred every one of his final nine holes.
“It was solid, I haven’t missed many fairways today. The swing feels in good shape and I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m doing.
“Angie is great on the bag, she knows nothing about golf so there’s not a lot of input there other than moral support but it seems to work well so we just need to keep going what we’re doing.
“I’ve never led a tournament. When I was fourth at Close House I was maybe one behind, but I’ve just got to take all the experience I’ve had and hopefully it will stand me in good stead going into the weekend.
“This is what we’re all here for and fortunately I’m in that position this week so we’ll see what the weekend brings.”
England’s Jordan Smith and Callum Hill of Scotland, both of whom have had good chances to win during the UK Swing, share third place on nine under par after respective rounds of 69 and 67, while Richard Bland and Maverick Antcliffe are one stroke further back.
Round two scores
134 D WHITNELL (ENG) 66 68, R ENOCH (WAL) 69 65,
135 J SMITH (ENG) 66 69, C HILL (SCO) 68 67,
136 R BLAND (ENG) 65 71, M ANTCLIFF (AUS) 68 68,
137 B EVANS (ENG) 70 67,
138 A CHESTERS (ENG) 70 68, L BJERREGAARD (DEN) 67 71, D VAN TONDER (RSA) 69 69, S GALLACHER (SCO) 72 66, R FOX (NZL) 71 67, T TREE (ENG) 69 69, N KEARNEY (IRL) 68 70,
139 V PEREZ (FRA) 70 69, M FORD (ENG) 68 71, A QUIROS (ESP) 72 67, P PETERSON (USA) 69 70, M SIEM (GER) 70 69, B WIESBERGER (AUT) 68 71, M KIEFFER (GER) 68 71, S KIM (USA) 66 73, D YOUNG (SCO) 68 71, J HANSEN (DEN) 69 70,
140 D DRYSDALE (SCO) 68 72, C SHINKWIN (ENG) 70 70, D VAN DRIEL (NED) 70 70, R RAMSAY (SCO) 70 70, K SAMOOJA (FIN) 71 69, J CATLIN (USA) 68 72, R H?JGAARD (DEN) 71 69, M KINHULT (SWE) 68 72, O WILSON (ENG) 72 68,
141 L VAN MEIJEL (NED) 73 68, J MORRISON (ENG) 70 71, A SULLIVAN (ENG) 74 67, M KAWAMURA (JPN) 71 70, M SOUTHGATE (ENG) 70 71, J DONALDSON (WAL) 72 69, S SHARMA (IND) 70 71, Y CHANG (KOR) 72 69, J STALTER (FRA) 67 74, M JORDAN (ENG) 73 68, B MACPHERSON (AUS) 74 67, W BESSELING (NED) 69 72,
142 D HORSEY (ENG) 73 69, J THOMSON (ENG) 72 70, C SORDET (FRA) 69 73, J CAMPILLO (ESP) 71 71, J CALDWELL (NIR) 70 72, L GAGLI (ITA) 69 73, B HENSON (USA) 70 72, G PORTEOUS (ENG) 71 71, R SCIOT-SIEGRIST (FRA) 70 72, N LEMKE (SWE) 67 75, R MCGOWAN (ENG) 72 70, N H?JGAARD (DEN) 72 70,
143 A LEVY (FRA) 70 73, E PEPPERELL (ENG) 71 72, A KARLSSON (SWE) 70 73, J SURI (USA) 74 69, J WALTERS (RSA) 70 73, R FISHER (ENG) 76 67, L SHEPHERD (AM) (ENG) 75 68, L SLATTERY (ENG) 74 69, S VALIMAKI (FIN) 72 71, B DREDGE (WAL) 73 70, A CA?IZARES (ESP) 74 69,
