This week's DP World Tour event is the penultimate tournament to qualify for Team Europe's next Ryder Cup team; Alexander Bjork takes a one-shot lead into the weekend in Prague; watch the Czech Masters live on Saturday from 11.30am on Sky Sports Golf
Friday 25 August 2023 19:50, UK
Alexander Bjork made a big statement to Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald by grabbing the halfway lead at the D+D Real Czech Masters.
Bjork, playing alongside Donald and hoping to force his way into consideration for a Ryder Cup debut in Rome next month, followed an opening-round 65 with a brilliant bogey-free 66 at Albatross Golf Resort in Prague.
The Swede took advantage of the par-five first and charged up the leaderboard by holing from 15 feet at the eighth to spark a run of four consecutive birdies, with Bjork adding a 15-foot birdie at the 16th and continuing his blemish-free start to the tournament.
Bjork sits a shot clear of Denmark's Nicolai Hojgaard, who posted a five-under 67, while Matt Wallace gave Donald another potential selection headache after a stunning second-round 63.
Wallace, who won his first PGA Tour title earlier this season and narrowly missed out on a Ryder Cup spot in 2018, carded an eagle and seven birdies to share third spot on 11 under with Finland's Sami Valimaki.
"I keep saying to myself that I'm going to be in contention this week and I'm going to take that on going forward," Wallace said. "Everything's OK. Don't panic, there's no reason to get frustrated. I was seven shots behind going into today after my round yesterday.
"Before I'd have gone 'Wow, I'm too far back', but it's fine. I'm playing good. That's what the best players do and I'm trying to learn from them."
Sweden's Ludvig Aberg - another contender for a captain's pick for Team Europe - is in the group three behind after a six-under 66, while Ryder Cup vice-captain Edoardo Molinari is within four of the lead after rounds of 66 and 69.
Yannik Paul, Adrian Meron and Victor Perez - all inside the top-seven on the European Points List - head into the weekend on eight under, as Robert MacIntyre dropped down the leaderboard after a quadruple-bogey late in his round.
MacIntyre, who currently holds an automatic qualification spot and can secure a Ryder Cup debut with victory this week, depending on other spots, put two balls in the water at the par-three 16th to fall eight strokes off the halfway lead.
Donald narrowly missed the cut despite a two-under 70, while Shane Lowry - the highest-ranked player in the field - also made an early exit after successive 71s left him outside the cut mark.
Watch the D+D Real Czech Masters throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Saturday from 11.30am on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the DP World Tour and more for £26 a month for 12 months with NOW.
