Swede Lagergren ale and hearty as Willett shines

With a boozy name like Joakim Lagergren, perhaps it’s not surprising there’s a part of the Swede who’d rather be drinking beer and watching a certain World Cup quarter-final this afternoon than being the man to catch at the Dubai Duty Free irish Open.

‘it must be the worst weekend of the year to be in one of the final groups!’ joked the 26-year- old, who is one shot off the pace set at halfway by New Zealander Ryan Fox, Matthieu Pavon from France and South African Erik Van Rooyen. One shot further adrift is England’s Danny Willett, whose mother just happens to be Swedish. ‘i’m caught right in the middle of it, aren’t i?’ said the former Masters champion.

‘i think in my case the golf course might be the best place for me to be.’

Given how many weekends off the Yorkshireman has had since he won the green jacket in 2016, he can say that again. how good to see the 30- year- old slowly putting the pieces of his game together. During his considerable struggles it became fashionable to wonder whether his Augusta triumph was something of a fluke, but it was never that.

After falling so far he dropped out of the world’s top 400, a top-eight finish at the recent italian Open was a demonstration of his mental fortitude.

if Willett (right) can keep his chronic back problems at arm’s length, he might yet assemble a surprising comeback this summer. he said: ‘the italian result was a nice confidence boost, obviously. it has been good to come out here on a true links course, and to sort of come out on top over the first 36 holes.’ Judged purely on his play from tee to green, tournament host Rory Mcilroy should have come out so far on top as to be almost out of sight. instead, owing to some all too familiar putting frailties, he has got plenty of catching up to do and it will be interesting to see if he can maintain his patience.

if he does and the putts finally start to drop, he could shoot anything — but we all know what happens when frustration sets in.

As for the 66- 1 shot who delighted everyone on day one with a 68, Padraig harrington needed 10 shots more on day two and sadly missed the halfway cut.

Perhaps those bookies know something, after all.