Poulter and Westwood two behind halfway leader Lucas Herbert; watch the third round live on Saturday from midday on Sky Sports Golf
Friday 2 October 2020 15:52, UK
Ian Poulter admitted to feeling "guilty" about getting the better side of the draw after moving within two strokes of the halfway lead at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open.
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Poulter followed an opening-round 67 with a five-under 66 early on Friday morning, mixing six birdies with a sole blemish to sit in tied-third and stay in touch with clubhouse leader Lucas Herbert.
The players that went out late on Thursday and early on Friday had much easier scoring conditions over the first two days, with Poulter pleased to take advantage and put himself in contention for a first European Tour title since 2012.
"My draw has been pretty good," Poulter told Sky Sports. "At times like this you do feel a bit guilty when you're out of the golf course and know you've had it pretty good.
"When you've been on Tour for 20 years you've had your share of bad ones. If you were on the other side of the draw you would be feeling a bit frustrated but hey-ho, it's the luck of the draw.
"I'm happy with the start to the tournament and making a few birdies. Two mistakes yesterday, which is frustrating, but came out today and holed a few nice birdie putts and hit a few decent shots.
"I think I've done a pretty good job considering I've been used to playing golf in shorts and a t-shirt in America and this week I've got the waterproofs on. The forecast for the next two days is not good and this course could show its teeth. It's going to be windy and rainy and this rough is thick."
Poulter is joined two shots back with playing partner and overnight leader Lee Westwood, who was unable to replicate his blemish-free 62 from the first day as he birded his penultimate hole to card a level-par 71.
"I'm delighted with today," Westwood told Sky Sports. "It was just one of those days really. When you've shot 62 the previous day, it generally happens.
"I didn't really play that much different to how I played yesterday and I could've got frustrated, but I stuck with my game plan and kept hitting it in the positions that I wanted to hit it.
"I can only apologise to everybody for shooting 62 yesterday, because they low score-proofed it today by sticking the flags on the sides of hills and really tucking them away. I guess that was my fault!"
Watch the Aberdeen Standard Investment Scottish Open throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Saturday from midday on Sky Sports Golf.
