Friday 28 June 2019 19:42, UK
Christiaan Bezuidenhout took control of the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters as he moved four shots clear at the halfway stage.
The 25-year-old South African carded a three-under 68 in the second round at Real Club Valderrama on Friday to lift himself to eight-under 134.
Bezuidenhout, who began the day one behind overnight leader Victor Perez, posted his score early on and none of his rivals were able to make late inroads into his lead as a stronger wind made it tricky for the afternoon starters.
Tournament-host Sergio Garcia, who has won the last three stagings of the event, shares second place with his fellow Spaniards Alvaro Quiros and Adri Arnaus, and Welshman Bradley Dredge on four under.
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World No 273 Bezuidenhout, who finished tied for third in last week's BMW International Open, started well with a birdie at the 10th and added further birdies at the 17th and first, the latter following a superb approach shot to three feet.
He did well to salvage par with excellent up-and-downs at the fifth and sixth before dropping his only shot of the day at the seventh, although he quickly chalked that off with a birdie at the eighth to leave him sitting pretty at the top of the leaderboard.
"First of all, I just kept it in play really nicely," Bezuidenhout told the European Tour's official website. "That's the key thing here, hitting fairways. I was driving it really well. On a course like this, you can score well if you hit the fairways but if you don't you can really struggle.
"I prefer the tougher conditions. It's tough for everyone, the wind is getting quite a bit stronger, you just have to face it. It's going to be tough - it's tough without wind - so I'm just hoping to do the same, hit fairways and greens, give myself chances and see where I finish up."
Garcia, who began his round with a birdie, closed within three of Bezuidenhout when he birdied the 17th but he missed a short par putt at the 18th as he signed for a one-over 72, which included another three bogeys in five holes from the seventh.
"It was very difficult this afternoon," said Garcia. "The greens were very firm and it got quite windy.
"I just didn't really make any putts, but I felt like I played really well under the conditions and the difficulty of the course, and 72 was the most I could shoot."
Quiros' lively start saw him make five birdies and two bogeys on the back nine before a level-par front nine left him with a three-under 68.
Rookie Arnaus fired a 70 and he joined his compatriots on four under after holing a monster putt for an eagle at the 17th, while Dredge birdied the same hole in his level-par 71.
Thursday's pace-setter Perez could only manage a three-over 74, which included a triple-bogey seven at the 14th, as he slipped into a five-way tie for sixth on three under.
Bezuidenhout spent much of the morning fighting for the lead with Fabrizio Zanotti, Gavin Green and Matthieu Pavon, but that trio all dropped back to two under during the latter stages of their rounds.
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Zanotti (71) started his round with four successive birdies from the 10th but bogeyed four of his last six holes, while Pavon (73) dropped four shots over his final four holes and Green (74) played the final seven holes in three over.
Pablo Larrazabal (72) was another to struggle in the closing stages with five bogeys over the last seven holes taking him back to two under, one better than his fellow Spaniard Jon Rahm.
Rahm was disappointed with his one-over 72, which included back-to-back bogeys to complete both nines, but he is only three shots off second place.
"It was just a lot of stupid mistakes, simple as that," said Rahm. "I hit a lot of good iron shots out there that we got mistaken by the wind or caught up by the wind, it's just annoying.
"It's not like I'm playing bad and it wasn't that difficult this morning. I'm just leaving shots out there that I shouldn't and it's costing me getting a low round going."
The cut came at two over with Matthew Fitzpatrick, Lee Slattery, David Howell and Matthew Southgate among those to miss out by a shot, while last week's winner Andrea Pavan will also have the weekend off.
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