DP World Tour : Andaulcia Masters
Defending champion Adrian Otaegui held a share of the lead at the halfway stage of the 2023 Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters after finishing his second-round 69 with a flourish to remain bogey-free for the week.
Starting the day two shots off the lead after kicking off the week with a flawless 66, home favourite Otaegui opened his second round with a tap-in birdie but had to wait patiently for his next one after making 14 straight pars. More to follow....
Meanwhile Thomas Bjørn had thought Friday's second round represented the end of an era as he made his way down the back nine before late fireworks saw him through to the weekend at the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters.
Having played a full schedule throughout his long and storied DP World Tour career, the 52-year-old's current exemption ends this season and this is set to be his last event on the exemption.
"I enjoy being out here, I enjoy being with these young guys but everything comes to an end. As much as I will still play a few events here and there, I certainly won’t play a full schedule going forward. They are simply too good.
Otaegui the DP World Tour winner missed a series of birdie opportunities during that run but he made no mistake from 20 feet on the 16th green before making it two in a row at the 17th to join early clubhouse leaders Louis de Jager and Jeong weon Ko on nine under par.
He had an outside chance to complete his birdie hat-trick and take the outright lead on the 18th but instead settled for a two-putt par and a clean card.
Frenchman Ko had to return to the course on Friday morning to complete his first round, birdieing the last to sign for a spotless 67 before coming back soon after to card a second-round 68 which contained five birdies and one bogey.
Ko's fellow morning starter De Jager had set the early target after making six birdies and a solitary bogey in his 67.
The trio were one shot ahead of New Zealand's Daniel Hillier, who followed up his first-round 70 with a 66.
Otaegui, who secured a spectacular six-shot victory at nearby Real Club Valderrama 12 months ago to win this title, was pleased with his day's work.
He said: "I'm happy with my day, I'm happy with the way I played.
"I really enjoyed it, I really felt very confident from tee to green.
"I gave myself lots of birdie chances but not from very close. I hit some good putts - didn't hole many, but I'm happy that I holed a couple on the 16th and 17th. Very happy overall."
edit **** Canadian Aaron Cockerill got the worst of very late stormy Thursday and could not recover on Friday morning 71 75 MC....+3 with the cut at -1
Bryan Angus
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