Henrik Stenson shares lead at BMW International Open as Danny Willett crashes out
Saturday 25 June 2016 18:03, UK
Henrik Stenson roared into a share of the halfway lead after firing a flawless seven-under 65 on the second day of the BMW International Open in Cologne.
Stenson, who withdrew before completing his second round at the US Open due to minor neck and knee problems, cruised to 11 under to join overnight leader Raphael Jacquelin at the top of the leaderboard, and the pair had company late in the day as Kiradech Aphibarnrat returned a day's-best 64.
After Richie Ramsay aced the 16th to win a car on day one, Sergio Garcia emulated the Scot at the 11th before a faltering finish left him six shots off the pace, but Masters champion Danny Willett missed the halfway cut by a stroke after a 70.
Jacquelin set the early target after taking his birdie count for the tournament to 12, although he did drop his first shot of the week at the eighth before coming home in 34 with birdies at 12 and 13.
Stenson got off to a flyer with three birdies over his first four holes after starting at the 10th, and the powerful Swede picked up another shot at the 16th to turn in 32.
The world No 7 kept his momentum flowing on the front nine, converting a precise approach to the first and rolling in further birdie putts at the fourth and seventh before parring in to complete a faultless day.
"I came here to really try to put myself in contention and so far, so good; I've done that," Stenson told the European Tour. "There's been a few tournaments in this late spring, early summer, where I feel like maybe I've been showing up feeling like I'm working on my game and not been 100 per cent there to compete.
"Now we don't have too many tournaments before the Open Championship, the PGA and the Olympics. It's time to put that tournament focus back on and then go out and do a good job. I've done that for two days and I'm going to try to push myself to do it another two."
Aphibarnrat turned in 34 and ignited his march up the leaderboard with his fourth birdie of the day at the 10th followed by a superb eagle at the long 13th, and the Thai ace then picked up three more shots over the last four holes to make it a three-way tie at the top.
The leaders are one shot clear of Thorbjorn Olesen, who birdied his last two holes to cap a second, successive 67, while Zander Lombard is on course for his fifth top-10 finish of the season after adding a 68 to his opening 67.
Garcia posted the 25th hole in one on the European Tour this year with a perfect eight-iron at the 158-yard 11th, his ball pitching inches short of the target and hopping into the cup on the second bounce.
The Spaniard, who had earlier started with four birdies in five holes, was eight under with three to play before he lost ground on the leaders with a bogey at 16 and a double-bogey six at the next after blocking his second shot into water from an awkward lie in the rough.
But Willett will have the weekend off after missing a series of good chances in his three-birdie 70, most notably at his ninth and final hole when he knocked a sweet approach to six feet before mis-reading the putt to stay at level par.
Live European Tour Golf
