The temperature and the scoring were a little cooler in southern Spain compared to the first round, but Simon Griffiths has moved to the summit of an exciting leaderboard at Aloha Golf Club.
The Englishman started on the back nine and cruised to the turn in 32 strokes with birdies at the 10th, 12th, 17th and 18th. He matched a pick-up at the 5th with only his second dropped shot of the week at the 6th to sign for a 68.
It’s a continuation of his scintillating form from the second half of last season that saw him pick up a win, a runner-up finish, a 3rd place and four more top-eights in the last nine tournaments of last season to finish 4thon the Order of Merit and claim the Barry Lane Rookie of the Year award.
“I’m very pleased again,” said last year’s Farmfoods European Senior Masters champion. “I played well on the back nine – my front nine – and made a few birdies. I had a couple of great saves and I’m very happy with 68.
“I think the course is firming up a little bit. The fairways are getting a little bit harder to hit and the greens are getting very firm, so unless you’re on the fairway with a good yardage it’s tough to get the ball close.
“I’ve just got to go out and play well. There are so many good players behind me that I still need to play a very good round of golf to have a chance.”
Colin Montgomerie started on the 10th and recovered from a bogey-bogey start to post a good round of 70 to reach -9. He also dropped a shot at the 18th, but he had birdies at the 13th, 15th, 2nd, 7th and 9th. The eight-time DP World Tour number one again finished his day to a rapturous cheer from the wonderful galleries as he picked up a shot on his final hole for the second successive day.
“I was quite proud because it would have been easy to let that round go,” said the Ryder Cup legend. “I thought I’d got out the wrong side of the bed after the first two holes, so to be four-under from then on was okay. It was a good threeball and I really did enjoy it, and I don’t often say that when I’ve finished a round of golf.
“I need another 65 like I had on Friday to be able to win. It’s difficult to win. It doesn’t matter where you’re playing – Champions Tour, the Legends Tour, the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour. Whatever it is, it’s very, very difficult to win. There’s always someone that has their week or does well and putts well and holes out and has the run of the ball. So I’ve got to be that guy tomorrow. I’ve got to be that guy that holes out tomorrow. Shoot 65 and then I have half a chance.”
Playing with Montgomerie over the first two rounds, local favourite Miguel Angel Jimenez is three strokes off the lead at -8 after a late surge kept his hopes of a very popular victory alive. The 21-time DP World Tour winner shot a 67 that featured seven birdies, including four in a row from the 5th, to move into a tie for 3rd.
He’s joined at -8 by Keith Horne and Lionel Alexandre. Horne won last year’s Zambia Legends Golf Championship and notched six birdies in his 69. Alexandre was tied for the lead overnight and the Frenchman shot a tidy 71 that included 15 pars to maintain his challenge for a maiden Legends Tour title.
Legends Tour winner Thomas Gögele and 2023 Order of Merit number one Peter Baker are at -7 after posting rounds of 69 and 70 respectively.
Last year’s Legends Tour Order of Merit number one Adilson da Silva slipped down the leaderboard after a 73. He’s in tied-8th on -6. Two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal, former Ryder Cup player Stephen Gallacher, Q School graduate Matt Cort, and DP World Tour winners Mikael Lundberg and Gary Orr are also -6.
Qualifying School victor Shinichi Yokota went from the worst round on day one to the best on day two with a 66 that moves him to tied-41st on +2.
