The Scotsman

Green has slim lead as he aims to be first Malaysian winner

- By PHIL CASEY

Malaysia’s Gavin Green will take a slender lead into the third round of the D+D Real Czech Masters as the battle for Ryder Cup places continues to simmer under the surface in Prague.

Green added a second round of 68 to his opening 64 for a halfway total of 12 under and one-shot lead over Denmark’s Jeff Winther, with Thomas Pieters, Padraig Harrington, Andrea Pavan and Tapio Pulkkanen a shot further back.

Pieters needs a wild card for a place in the European side which will try to regain the Ryder Cup in Paris next month, while England’s Eddie Pepperell, who could get into the automatic places with a win at Albatross Golf Resort, is five off the pace after a 71.

Scott Jamieson had a 68 to be three shots off the lead in joint seventh place, while Connor Syme’s 70 put him a shot further back in a tie for 13th.

Green, who is chasing a first European Tour title and the chance to become the tour’s first Malaysian winner, said: “It’s fun to be leader and it’s been a while since I’ve been in this position so I’m going to enjoy it. My dad’s on the bag so we’re going to have a nice dinner maybe and a good sleep and continue tomorrow.

“I kept to the same gameplan as yesterday, hitting the driver everywhere and being pretty aggressive and I was in the rough a couple of times and the fairway a couple of times.

“It’s nice having wedges into par fours though, makes it a little bit easier and you can control the spin. That gives you a lot better looks at birdie so I controlled it well and did pretty well so I’m happy.”

Pieters won a record four points on his Ryder Cup debut at Hazeltine in 2016 after being given a wild card by captain Darren Clarke following a runners-up finish in Prague and victory in Denmark the following week. “It was obviously more difficult with the wind today but I didn’t make enough putts,” Pieters said after shooting a 70 alongside Ryder Cup vice-captain Padraig Harrington, who had a 68.

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