Southgate eyes up the big money pot after Poulter prank

THREE days after being duped by Ian Poulter into believing he had won £50,000 for setting a world record, Matthew Southgate has played himself into contention for £875,000 at the Turkish Airlines Open in Antalya. The 29-year-old shot an exceptional 65 to go into fourth place on eight under after two rounds, putting him in the mix for a first career title and one of the biggest prize pots on the European Tour. It comes after he played his part in a record-breaking English foursome including Poulter, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton, who were told yesterday that they had entered the Guinness Book of Records for playing a par-five in the quickest time in history during a three-nation shootout on Tuesday. Playing one shot each, they finished the 15th hole of the Regnum course in 32.70sec — and Southgate was later tricked by his team-mates into believing he would pocket £50,000 for the effort. It was only when he checked with a Tour official if the money would count on the Order of Merit that the penny dropped. ‘Poulter was lucky,’ said Southgate. I’d have given the bill to him if I’d gone and bought myself an Audi!’ The younger Englishman is in line for a bigger cheque if he can maintain his form here, although he sits six shots off runaway leader Nicolas Colsaerts in a four-way tie for fourth alongside Fitzpatrick, Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher and Irishman Shane Lowry. Gallacher also added a superb 65 to his opening 69 for a bogey-free first 36 holes. Yet he was on the verge of withdrawing from the event after suffering an ankle injury stepping off a buggy in practice. The 43-year-old from Linlithgow has also made a major change to his grip to cut out a destructive hook. He said: ‘It feels horrendous over the ball. That’s why my coach never mentioned it. ‘He was going to say it after the tournament but when you want to enjoy the game I thought to myself: “I’m just going to give it a go anyway.”’ Another Englishman, Eddie Pepperell, is one behind Belgian Colsaerts on 10 under after a second straight 66. But Colsaerts is in pole position to end a five-year victory drought after carding another 64. ‘I always feel it’s pretty close because I’m good enough to have decent showings in big events throughout the year, ’ he said. ‘I’d like to think I can land a few more wins.’ Justin Rose’s pursuit of the title, which would have given him a shot at overhauling Tommy Fleetwood in the Race to Dubai, is fizzling out. He has made only one bogey in two rounds but is well adrift on five under.