Walker, Widegren share lead in Portugal

Edited by Anand Datla

August 01, 2015: Englishman Sam Walker and Pontus Widegren of Sweden were tied for the lead at the halfway point of the Madeira Islands Open – Portugal – BPI, as both players chase a career-changing maiden European Tour victory at Clube de Golf do Santo da Serra.

Although Walker and Widegren had to deal with stronger winds in the earlier exchanges of day two at the picturesque mountain-top venue, they battled to post an early target of 11 under par – both adding six under rounds of 66 to their respective opening 67s.

While the afternoon groups enjoyed sunnier skies and lighter breezes on the Portuguese archipelago island, nobody could take advantage and displace the leading duo, who ended the day a shot clear of the first round pacesetter Antonio Hortal of Spain.

Walker, out in the very first group off the tenth tee, opened with back to back birdies before picking up another at the 13th to reach the turn in three under, and he came home in the same number of blows courtesy of an eagle two at the sixth and a fourth birdie of the day the par five seventh to card an impressive bogey-free round.

“It was tough out there,” said the 37 year old, who claimed his best finish since April at last week’s Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge on the Challenge Tour. “But if you played with the wind a little bit you’d create some chances and that’s what I did.

“I play with a fade so I can use the wind to my advantage a little more than other people. It was really steady. I didn’t make anything after the turn even though I was playing lovely. At the sixth I went over the corner with a driver and came up just short of the green, then I chipped in.

“At the seventh I was up in two and made a nice two-putt birdie and I just missed a putt at nine for birdie so it could have been better. It could have been better yesterday too but this is Madeira, it’s never easy here.”

The experienced Birmingham player is competing his 14th Madeira Islands Open this week – his 15th factoring in the cancelled event in March which led to this week’s rescheduled edition – and he is feeling good heading into the weekend, especially on greens which he rates as the best he’s seen at this venue.

“The course is much better now and the greens are fantastic,” he said. “You can’t moan about anything here really. I feel good now and I’m playing steady, not doing anything majorly different, just knocking a few putts in and taking it as it comes.”

Like Walker, Widegren made a timely return to form in France last week – claiming his best finish of the Challenge Tour season, a share of fifth spot – so he feels confident he can carry his good form into the final two days.

“I’m definitely looking forward to the weekend,” said the 24 year old. “I got a taste of being in the final few groups last week and it’s a lot of fun seeing your name on the boards and chasing that top spot, so I’m excited.

“It’s been a very frustrating year, but I had a week at home two weeks ago, played a lot of golf at my home course, which I live very close to. I was playing with my friends and with my brother in foursomes, best ball, and things like that.

“It changed my mode with the golf for a little bit and I had a couple of days where I got some good practice in too, got grounded on what I’m trying to do and it really worked out.

“Last week my main focus was to get my game ready mentally for this week and it’s worked out well. I just let go of all the expectations last week and just focussed on making a few things stronger and all of a sudden things are falling into place.”

Hortal, meanwhile, carded three birdies and two bogeys on the way to a one under par 71 to stay in touch with the leaders on ten under.

Scott Henry, runner up here last year after losing out to Daniel Brooks in a play-off, looked well on the way to taking the lead but the Scot dropped four shots on the final four holes to fall back to tied fourth alongside Belgium’s Pierre Relecom, Swede Bjorn Åkesson and Brandon Stone of South Africa on eight under.

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Source: European Tour