Garbed in what he called ‘the smurf outfit’, Andy Sullivan lived up to his reputation of one of European Tour’s most consistent performers at the Education City Golf Club as he posted a second successive 66 to move into a share of lead at the halfway stage of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters yesterday.
Sullivan shared the halfway lead at 10-under with afternoon starter Jorge Campillo, who scored three birdies in a four-hole stretch and finished the round with five consecutive pars. Sullivan made six birdies and a single bogey for the second day in a row.
“Quite enjoyed the smurf outfit today,” Sullivan tweeted after the round.
Nevertheless, while the 32-year-old’s blue outfit may have looked smurf-y, his game was not.
He took full advantage of a calm morning to set a clubhouse target which was not overtaken till the end. The target was only levelled by Spaniard Campillo, who went blemish free in posting a 66.
“I’ve got it under the lock at the moment,” Sullivan, who has one top-ten so far this season, said.
Starting on the back nine, Sullivan made a fast start with three birdies in his opening five holes before cancelling out a blemish at the 15th by holing from 10 feet at the par-four first. Sullivan birdied the next and ended a run of pars by nailing a 25-foot putt at the eighth to move top of the leaderboard.
“I feel like I am in control of myself, which is the most important thing for me, I really felt like I took my time a little bit more on shots and stuff,” a three-time winner in 2015 said.
Sullivan gave credit of his good show to a renewed sense of focus.
“I really felt like I took my time a little bit more on shots and stuff. Earlier I generally rushed the shot, maybe try to hit it a bit quickly, so I have been trying to take my time a little bit more and be a bit more composed over the shot,” the former British Ryder Cup star said.
Playing later in the day, Campillo made three birdies in a four-hole stretch from the fourth and picked up further shots at the 11th and 13th to join Sullivan at 10-under, before finishing off his round with five consecutive pars.
“I am in a nice position and hopefully, if I play like this, I will have my chances and if not I will try next week,” said Campillo, who turned pro in 2009 and won his maiden European Tour win at the 229th time of asking with a two-shot victory at the Trophee Hassan II in April 2019.
Swedish Alexander Bjork, who played a round-of-the-day 63, and compatriot Marcus Kinhult are within a shot of the lead. Englishman Oliver Fisher, Dutchman Joost Luiten and Frenchman Romain Langasque, who shoot 64 with an incredible hole-out eagle from a fairway bunker at the 11th, are in a share of third.
Overnight leader Nicolai Hojgaard failed to repeat his heroics from day one as he played a par round to finish the day three shots off the lead alongside compatriots Benjamin Poke and Jeff Winther, South African Darren Fichardt, Scotland’s Scott Jamieson and England’s Jack Senior.
India’s SSP Chawrasia carded six-under and was tied 14th along with six others at the end of the second day.
“I am happy with my performance today. The leaderboard is a congested one. Anything can happen as there a few shots separating us from the leaders. I hope to maintain the same level of consistent play on the third day,” Chawrasia said.
Back-to-back birdies over the closing two holes lifted Jamieson into the group on seven-under that also includes England’s Senior.
Defending champion Justin Harding of South Africa was five-under today and lay tied 15th with seven others.
Major winner Martin Kaymer, and former champions Paul Lawrie and Alvaro Quiros missed the cut.
Leading Round II scores
132 — Andy Sullivan (Eng) 66, 66; Jorge Campillo (Spa) 66, 66
133-Marcus Kinhult (Swe) 68, 65; Joost Luiten (Ned) 65, 68; Alexander Bjork (Swe) 70, 63; Romain Langasque (Fra) 69, 64; Oliver Fisher (Eng) 69, 64
135 — Jeff Winther (Den) 66, 69; Benjamin Poke (Den) 68, 67; Nicolai Hojgaard (Den) 64, 71; Jack Senior (Eng) 69, 66; Darren Fichardt (Rsa) 67, 68; Scott Jamieson (Eng) 67, 68
136 — SSP Chawrasia (Ind) 67, 69; Dean Burmester (Rsa) 69, 67; David Drysdale (Eng) 67, 69; Dave Coupland (Eng) 68, 68; Lorenzo Gagli (Ita) 66, 70; Lars Van Meijel (Ned) 70, 66; Thomas Pieters (Bel) 66, 70
137 — Justin Harding (Rsa) 70, 67; Kalle Samooja (Fin) 70, 67; Matthew Jordan (Eng) 70, 67; Niklas Lemke (Swe) 68, 69; Carlos Pigem (Spa) 66, 71; Kyong-jun Moon (Kor) 67, 70; Fabrizio Zanotti (Pry) 69, 68; Benjamin Hebert (Fra) 67, 70.
138 — Marcus Armitage 67, 71; Clement Sordet (Fra) 72, 66; David Horsey (Eng) 69, 69; George Coetzee (Rsa) 70, 68; Antoine Rozner (Fra) 69, 69; Jordan Smith (Eng) 69, 69; Thomas Detry (Bel) 72, 66; Wilco Nienaber (Rsa) 68, 70; Oliver Farr (Eng) 74, 64
Andy Sullivan (left) of England and Jorge Campillo (right) of Spain are in action during the second round of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters at Education City Golf Club in Doha yesterday. PICTURES: Jayaram and Twitter/AndySulliGolf
