Peter Lawrie digs new course record at Verdura to clinch lead in Sicilian Open: First round wrap-up Part-2
Continued from: http://www.senore.com/Peter-Lawrie-digs-new-course-record-at-Verdura-to-clinch-lead-in-Sicilian-Open-First-round-wrap-up-Part-1-a141301
He made the turn, hoping to emulate his front nine but fell for the lone bogey of his round at par-four, 13th. He closed the round with three more birdies on the remaining hole, to establish a new course record at Verdura.
A joint third finish is probably the real reason behind Lawrie’s blistering form in the event and the Irishman feels he is poised at the right footings to clinch his long awaited European Tour title.
He said, “The ball’s going where I want it to more often, and today followed in much the same vein. I waited patiently for the putts to drop, then when they did they didn’t stop! The eagle on 11 was a big boost, but I’d played the front nine well”.
Dane Søren Kjeldsen, a three-time European Tour winner, fell a little unlucky after pulling in a mammoth seven-under, 65 in the morning.
He too established a new course record at Verdura, which lasted a mere few hours before it was overtaking by the rampaging Lawrie.
He said, "My practice has been great, as it had been in Dubai, and I played well enough on my comeback at the Tavistock Cup last week".
"So I’m really pleased to have played as well as I did today, because my game felt like it did in Dubai, even though I hadn’t played much competitive golf since".
Kjeldsen’s highlight of the round came on the back nine when he pulled in a glistening eagle at par-five, 14th.
He carded two more birdies on the back nine before making the turn pulling in another four birdies on the front and dropping just one shot.
Kjeldsen has been part of the European entourage since the year 1998 after he turned professional in 1995.
He played on the secondary Challenge Tour and won the Volvo Finnish Open to earn his tour card to European Tour.
The 36-year-old Dane has three European Tour victories to his credit and his last win came in the year 2009, when he clinched the Open de Andalucía title on the European Tour.
Kjeldsen pulled in an impressive joint fifth on his last European Tour start in Dubai at the star-studded Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
to be continued...
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