ESTRELLA DRAM IN ANDALUCIA
Jamieson can toast Spain success
SCOTT JAMIESON got the cheers in at the Estrella Damm Andalucia Masters as a classy three-under 68 left him just two shots off the lead.
The Scot turned in one of the rounds of the day to move two under at the halfway stage and is hunting down leader Romain Langasque.
The Frenchman made an eagle on the 17th to jump to four under but only held on to the lead after a horror end to Matt Fitzpatrick’s round.
The Englishman looked set to lead the way on five under heading down the 18th but posted a double-bogey to drop back down to a tie for second.
Fitzpatrick wasn’t too downhearted though and said: “It’s a tough way to finish but I feel like I’m playing well.
“I was really solid. I barely missed a green and a fairway. I putted pretty solid too. I’m not really disappointed.
“I’m happy with where my game is at. I played really well at the Ryder Cup, to no avail unfortunately.
“But I was really pleased and almost disappointed to have two weeks off after it. I wanted to play again so to come here and continue that is a positive.”
Countryman Laurie Canter shot the round of the day as a six-under 65 also fired him to three under alongside Sweden’s Sebastian Soderberg (69) and Kiwi Ryan Fox (69).
Jamieson sits only a stroke behind them in a tie for sixth with Robert Rock (68), Alejandro Canizares (69) and Julien Guerrier (73).
If he can repeat yesterday’s heroics the Scot has a chance of being in title contention.
But Langasque is the man to catch after putting a poor run of just two cuts in his last 10 events behind him.
The Frenchman, who won his maiden European Tour title at last year’s Welsh Open, gave much of the credit to his game off the tee.
He said: “My long game is good, my driving is really good.
“I didn’t make many mistakes, that was the key.
“I’m quite offensive off the tee then I try to find good places on the green.”
It wasn’t a great day for the other Scots with Grant Forrest’s 71 keeping him three over. Robert MacIntyre’s 74 took him to five over alongside David Drysdale (71). Connor Syme (74), David Law (73) and Richie Ramsay (75) missed the cut by a shot on six over.