Bright start for Edfors
Apart from the millions of midges that have made Loch Lomond their breeding ground there were perfect conditions for the start of the second round in the Barclays Scottish Open today.
And Swede Johan Edfors wasted no time moving into the outright lead, sinking a 30-foot birdie putt on the 10th green to edge ahead of joint overnight pacesetter David Drysdale.
Edfors had never done a thing really on the European tour until this year. But what a year it is turning out to be.
The 30-year-old, who entering 2006 was 410th on the world rankings and had just made his seventh visit to the tour qualifying school, captured the TCL Classic in China in March and two months ago added the British Masters at The Belfry.
Aside from those two wins he has not had a top-10 finish, but first prize on Sunday could take him to 10th in the Ryder Cup table.
Drysdale has another target to aim for – trying to get back on the European tour.
The Dunbar golfer lost his card by one shot and less than £400 (€580) last year, then went to the qualifying school and missed out by one stroke there as well.
He is playing on a sponsor’s invitation at this week’s tournament, which offers a first prize of £400,000 (€580,553m), a two-year tour exemption and a place in next week’s Open championship.
Luke Donald resumed with three pars to stay three under, but was overtaken by his playing partner and defending champion Tim Clark. He sank a 20-footer at the 10th and then birdied the 12th as well to go to four under, three behind Edfors.
His fellow south African Ernie Els, on the other hand, missed the green on the short 11th and by bogeying dropped back to level par – quite possibly the halfway cut mark.
Els has not made an early exit from a European tour event for a record 75 events stretching back to a disqualification in 1999.
Darren Clarke, five under after an opening 66, was among the later starters, but England’s Miles Tunnicliff, joint third with him when play resumed, bogeyed the first.
