The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Forrest in hunt for Super 6 title after second round 68
Scotland’s Grant Forrest is one shot off the lead at the halfway mark of the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth, Australia.
Forrest, who recently turned professional, carded a second round 68 to sit on seven under par.
Blairgowrie’s Bradley Neil just made the cut on level par after his 73, but Drumoig’s Connor Syme dropped out on three over despite a second round 71.
Lee Westwood goes into the weekend as joint leader.
The Englishman started two strokes off overnight pacesetter Brett Rumford as the Perth native shot an impressive 64 on the opening day at Lake Karrinyup Country Club.
But Westwood reeled in the defending champion with a colourful two-underpar 70 in windy conditions to join him at the top of the leaderboard on eight under.
The field has been cut from 156 to 80 players for today’s third round, where the top 24 players after 54 holes – with the top eight players seeded – will compete in a six-hole matchplay format to determine the winner.
Westwood carded three birdies and two bogeys in his opening nine holes but still remained two shots behind Rumford after his solitary gain before they both picked up a shot at the 11th, only to each hand it back at the 13th.
The 44-year-old Westwood made a stunning eagle at the 15th, which he also achieved in the first round, to draw level at nine under and when his Australian rival bogeyed the penultimate hole, he was one ahead.
However, Westwood dropped a shot at the last to fall back alongside Rumford, with Thailand’s Prom Meesawat, Dane Thorbjorn Olesen, Forrest and Australian Lucas Herbert one stroke further back.
Westwood played alongside his joint leader during the first two days and will be with the Australian once again for the third round as he looks to battle for supremacy with the reigning champion.
“We both played well,” Westwood said.
“We haven’t given too many shots away, made a few putts and I chipped in a couple of times. It’s been fun over the first couple of days.
“I’m just trying to shoot as low as possible.
“I know if I carry on playing like I’m playing and a few putts start to go in – because I didn’t really hole any putts today – I’ll be thereabouts on the leaderboard.
“To be perfectly honest, matchplay is anybody’s. You’re going to need a lot of luck to win it.”
Scots Duncan Stewart and Simon Yates also missed the cut.