After a hard fought Friday at Wentworth, Thomas Bjorn and Shane Lowry are four shots ahead of a gifted chasing pack, which includes Luke Donald, Henrik Stenson, Jonas Blixt and Rory McIlroy.
The 43-year-old Danish veteran, Bjorn, a winner of 15 titles in a lucrative career on the European Tour, started the day two shots ahead of Lowry, but was able to ensure of his position at the summit of the leaderboard, albeit now tied with the Irishman, with a level par second round of 72.
Starting in the afternoon, with cool and damp conditions adorning the iconic Surrey venue, Bjorn would drop a shot immediately on the fearsome opening hole of the West Course. It was the first bogey of the week for the former Wentworth resident, who strolled round the layout on Thursday in incredible fashion, shooting a course record equalling round of 62.
Today wouldn’t yield as many birdies, but Bjorn was able to utilise his significant experience to make three gains on the back-nine to ensure he ended the day as he started it – at 10-under.
Those birdies would come on the 12th and 15th (courtesy of a holed bunker shot), before he expertly plotted down the 18th to finish with a closing birdie four.
Shane Lowry has endured a disappointing season thus far, coming into this week ranked 165th on the Race to Dubai. However, a tie for 15th last week in Spain was a sign of things to come, with a superb 36-holes at Wentworth much more like the talented 27-year-old from County Offaly.
After a sparkling round of 64 on Thursday, Lowry would produce a stunning back-nine of 33 to complete a second of 70, which saw him ascend to the top of the leaderboard alongside Bjorn.
After starting with six straight pars, Lowry would drop a shot on the seventh, before cancelling that out with a birdie on the eighth. However, the final hole of the opening-nine would prove to be costly, with a double bogey the punishment for some poor play.
But with conditions above improving, Lowry’s own golf would match the brightening late-afternoon sunshine, with birdies coming at the tenth and 12th, before he would close out in ideal fashion on Wentworth’s two closing par fives, with a birdie-birdie finish.
Four shots ahead of the field, the weekend of the European Tour’s flagship event may prove to be a duel between two former Irish Open champions, but an imposing chasing pack is awaiting even the minutest sign of a slipup.
Wentworth specialist Luke Donald illustrated why he is a two-time winner of this Championship, with a stunning round of 67 – lowest of the day – to surge up the leaderboard into a tie for third alongside Rafael Cabrera-Bello.
The former world number one, Donald would make six birdies and an eagle in his five-under round, with that obvious highlight coming on the par five 12th. With his brilliant record at this venue, the 36-year-old Englishman may prove to be the most likely contender to the leading pair.
However, just a shot behind him is a pack of the utmost quality. Henrik Stenson, who could ascend to the summit of the Official World Golf Ranking, Masters runner-up Jonas Blixt, and two-time major winner Rory McIlroy are all tied at five-under – five shots off the lead.
"I did not start off particularly well and made a mess of the seventh, but came back well and hit some quality shots on the back nine," said McIlroy, who has been the subject of intense attention this week following his split from Caroline Wozniacki.
"Anything under par this morning was a decent score and to birdie three of the last four holes is pretty pleasing."
With such an intriguing collection of scenarios in play, it has all the potential to be a thrilling weekend in front of the massive English crowds at Wentworth.
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