Irish Ryder Cup player Padraig Harrington gathered eleven birdies but could not quite rope in tournament leader Retief Goosen in the second round of the Volvo Masters at Montecastillo Hotel and Golf Resort.
Harrington, playing with confidence and bravado on the back of his superb Ryder Cup debut in America, was just one short of the European Tour record of a dozen birdies in one round.
However his seven under par 65 for a 13 under par total of 131 left him one stroke behind South African Goosen, who added a 68 to his opening 62. Five players shared third place on 135, including the ever-dangerous Volvo Order of Merit leader, Colin Montgomerie, who matched Harrington’s 65.
It was a remarkable round by the Dubliner, who had just four pars in his 18 holes. As well as the eleven birdies, Harrington carded two bogeys and a double bogey six at the seventh where he went into the water.
He said: “I hit a lot of good shots but some poor ones too. This is the most birdies I’ve ever made in one round of golf – 17 birdies and one eagle in two rounds isn’t bad, is it?”
Goosen, who reached the turn in 32, four under par, to stretch his lead over the field, went 15 under when he also birdied the 12th. However a bogey at the 15th – his only error in two otherwise flawless rounds – meant that he and Harrington set out in the third round separated by just one shot.
Montgomerie was in top form as he launched his bid for a second Volvo Masters title, and his first at Montecastillo. He went out in 32 and finished with a flourish, birdieing the last three holes for 33 home.
“The last three holes turned a reasonable round into a good one” he said. “It’s an improvement from yesterday. I did not feel well with a headache yesterday but now I’m moving in the right direction.”
Sergio Garcia and Open champion Paul Lawrie continued to match each other stride for stride by following 69s with 68s, while Lee Westwood appeared ready to make a serious challenge when he birdied five holes on the way out in 31.
For the second day in a row, however, he was undone by a double bogey – this time at the 10th and a three-putt bogey at the 11th. It said much for his resilience that he bounced back with two quick birdies at the 12th and 13th and finished on a four under par total of 140 after a round of 68.
