Matt Wallace shines to share halfway lead at Italian Open
England's Matt Wallace and Australia's Marcus Fraser are joint leaders on 13 under going into the weekend of the Italian Open.
Wallace had a six-way share of the lead after the first round and solidified his place at the top with a 65 at Golf Club Milano on Friday. But Fraser was the star of the day, shooting a career-best 62 to earn his place at the summit with a blemish-free card of nine under par.
Wales' Jamie Donaldson and Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat lie two shots off the leading pair after hitting matching 67s, both men capping their card with eagle threes, at the ninth and 14 respectively.
Defending champion and home favourite Francesco Molinari was also circling the business end of the leaderboard, sitting three strokes back on 10 under. Molinari was among the day one leaders but while he picked up six birdies, his charge was tempered by three bogeys.
Masters champion Sergio Garcia heads a five-strong group tied for sixth, with Oxford's Eddie Pepperell in the same grouping.
Fraser, who put together a streak of five successive birdies between holes eight and 12, told EuropeanTour.com: "I felt like I've putted well and scrambled well this week. Today I took it to a new level with the putter.
"I felt like I putted well yesterday and I probably out-did it today. I'm pretty proud of myself and it's quite reassuring that I still can play golf!"
Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn was among those set to miss the projected cut of two under, a fate shared by the elder Molinari brother, Edoardo, Martin Kaymer, Oliver Fisher, Padraig Harrington and Danny Willett.
PA Sport
Source: http://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/21011906/matt-wallace-shines-share-halfway-lead-italian-open
Wallace had a six-way share of the lead after the first round and solidified his place at the top with a 65 at Golf Club Milano on Friday. But Fraser was the star of the day, shooting a career-best 62 to earn his place at the summit with a blemish-free card of nine under par.
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| Matt Wallace of England celebrates on the 18th green during day two of the Italian Open. Stuart Franklin/Getty Images |
Defending champion and home favourite Francesco Molinari was also circling the business end of the leaderboard, sitting three strokes back on 10 under. Molinari was among the day one leaders but while he picked up six birdies, his charge was tempered by three bogeys.
Masters champion Sergio Garcia heads a five-strong group tied for sixth, with Oxford's Eddie Pepperell in the same grouping.
Fraser, who put together a streak of five successive birdies between holes eight and 12, told EuropeanTour.com: "I felt like I've putted well and scrambled well this week. Today I took it to a new level with the putter.
"I felt like I putted well yesterday and I probably out-did it today. I'm pretty proud of myself and it's quite reassuring that I still can play golf!"
Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn was among those set to miss the projected cut of two under, a fate shared by the elder Molinari brother, Edoardo, Martin Kaymer, Oliver Fisher, Padraig Harrington and Danny Willett.
PA Sport
Source: http://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/21011906/matt-wallace-shines-share-halfway-lead-italian-open
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