Bob MacIntyre opens four-shot lead in Hamburg as Paul Casey slips
Because he opened up a commanding four-shot lead at the halfway stage in Hamburg bob MacIntyre found an excess gear on day two of their Porsche European Open.
After leader Paul Casey struggled to a 73 despite making just one birdie over the five par-fives MacIntyre took benefit of this daytime weather that was more friendly and terminated a great 63.
The Scot stormed to the top of the leaderboard on 11-under level, four obvious of Bernd Ritthammer, while Casey is now six off the pace because he continued to battle a difficult layout in addition to a throat disease.
MacIntyre has had a hugely-successful rookie year on the European Tour, together with a tie for sixth at The Open at Royal Portrush along with back-to-back runner-up endings in May, and he is currently in prime place to property his maiden success.
The gifted left-hander’s scorecard featured a notable 11 threes – half them for birdie, and even though he was not able to pick up shots in the long 15th or 16th, he struck on the final green in 2 and easily two-putted for his seventh birdie of the day.
“I just stuck to my game plan,” stated the written 23-year-old. “It is probably the best I’ve driven a chunk – possibly this season. It is not just going it is going miles. I don’t know what I am doing but it’s working so I’m just going to try and continue to perform it.
“I can only control what I can control and that is swinging the golf club for each person shooter. That’s all I’m going to do over the weekend also and I can keep the great scores. Especially when it’s my first time with such an outcome it’s going to be hard.
“I’m going to need to learn from that adventure, I’m only doing the ideal things on the program, doing the proper things off the program. I’m relaxed and nice and everything at home’s been brilliant so I’m in the perfect mindset for going out there this weekend.”
Ritthammer gave the home fans plenty to cheer late in the day after he birdied three of the last four holes to cap a blemish-free 66 which raised him to seven under and alone in second place, with Casey alongside Matthias Schwab and Guido Migliozzi around five under.
Casey dropped further shots at 14 and 13 and began with a bogey, before bouncing back at the fifth with a two from another bogey in the third, however he regrouped and clawed two shots back at 18 and 15.
He missed a chance although he was happy about the setup of this hard 40, but he had been pleased with his fightback from a start.
“I’m really very happy with just a single over as it’s such a tricky golf course,” Casey explained. “Attitude is the secret, ” I had a good attitude and there were options to make birdies if you stick with it, however it’s very hard.
“Not every course should be easy every week, but if it had been me I’d go up the temptations here since you’re earning a lot more interest into the way this program is performed. Risks will be more in play and I’d love to find men going to it. Right now it is very, very hard, almost sort of defensive, that is not so enjoyable.”
Xander Schauffele, the highest-ranked participant in the field this week, made a spirited reaction to his opening 73 since he got into red numbers with a four-birdie 69 that raised the world No 9 into 2 under alongside Thomas Pieters, that found water in the past and ran a seven up to register for a disappointing 72.
Former Masters champion Patrick Reed was two over for the tournament and staring at a missed cut over after five holes, however, he dug deep to salvage a 72 that got him safely.
But his American Matt Kuchar will soon be flying home early.
Read more here: https://nuni.or.id/?p=10145