Overnight leader Bernhard Langer continued where he left off, going out in 33 on day two of The Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex at Royal Porthcawl, to further impose himself on the third Senior Major of the year.
While the fiery links venue got the better of many of the world-class field in Wales yesterday, Langer surged to the top of the leaderboard courtesy of an opening round 65, while another of the favourites, Colin Montgomerie, finished with a one over 72.
With early scoring better today on another sunny morning by the Glamorgan coast, the German Langer extended his two shot overnight lead by a stroke with three birdies in a row from the fourth to sixth, to get to eight under for The Championship going into the back nine.
Langer was featured in a star-studded group alongside defending champion Mark Wiebe and popular Spaniard Miguel Ángel Jimenéz – with the European Ryder Cup favourite giving the large galleries something to cheer at the first with an eagle, after holing a pitching wedge from 136 yards.
Jimenéz, whose making his Senior Major debut at Royal Porthcawl in the first tournament of its kind to be held in Wales, endured a mixed front nine – a couple of birdies twos and a seven leaving the 50 year old at two over par.
Defending champion Wiebe, who beat Langer in a play-off to win The Senior Open Championship last year, has work to do if he is to make it to the weekend, and was at seven over par at the turn.
Meanwhile, Langer’s closest challenger Friday morning was England’s Chris Williams.
The 55 year old positioned himself well with a 68 yesterday, and despite mixing two bogeys with a birdie on the front nine of his second round, he made some inroads on the back nine with an eagle and birdie to get to five under par with three holes of his second round remaining.
With plenty of red numbers about on Friday morning, double Senior Major Champion Montgomerie might find today’s conditions better suited to his game, when he tees off in his afternoon’s marquee group alongside US stars Tom Watson and Fred Couples, at 1.50pm.
