Major winner Weir makes cut

leave of absence from golf for family reasons.

The left-hander does not have any status on the PGA Tour and after missing the cut at Augusta National for the sixth time in the last seven years, also made early exits from European Tour events in Morocco and Portugal.

After an opening 67, Weir started his second round with birdies on the 12th and 16th before running up a triple-bogey seven on the 18th.

However, the 47-year-old bounced back to record three birdies and a solitary

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

bogey on his back nine to qualify for the final two rounds.

Quiros birdied his final four holes to add a 64 to his opening 63 and reach 15 under par, two shots ahead of overnight joint leaders Michael Hoey and Sebastian Soderberg, who both shot 61 on Thursday and 68 yesterday.

After winning twice on the European Tour in 2011 Quiros was ranked 21st in the world, but after trying to make swing changes he has gradually slipped to his current position of 703rd and missed 15 cuts in 23 events last season.

“It’s a very nice situation for me, it’s a long time since I’ve had the opportunity,” Quiros said.

“My game was a little bit worse than yesterday, but my putting on the back nine was great. Sometimes I’ve been very greedy trying to force myself into a better score when the game wasn’t good and today I have to be proud of myself.”

Quiros has committed to playing mainly on the Challenge Tour this season in an effort to regain his European Tour card and added: “I’m not going to fix my situation in one day or in one tournament, so hopefully I can keep working, still adding good rounds and come back to the Tour.”

England’s David Horsey and South African Zander Lombard lie three shots off the pace after rounds of 66 and 68, with 2011 Sicilian Open winner Raphael Jacquelin another stroke back alongside Mark Foster and Jose-Filipe Lima.