BALLYMENA Northern Ireland Ewen FergusonScotlands big opening round was followed by an even-par 70 by the Spaniard, but it kept him in contention at the ISPS Handa World Invitational.
Ferguson Carded a course record of 61On Thursday, Galgorm Castle was home to one of two courses that were used for the event. It featured simultaneous mens and womans tournaments. After her Massereene 5-under 67, Amanda Doherty from the United States maintained her lead in womens tournament.
After Fridays round at Massereene Golf Club, Ferguson, 26, was still looking for his second European Tour win. Borja VirtoAfter his 67, he was one shot back in Spain.
[I]Ferguson stated that he missed a few of the putts hed been making yesterday to keep his round going. Good putts but they were just a bit too lippy, and yesterday they were a little bit lippy in. When they lip in, you feel incredible when you walk onto the next tee. You feel a little flatter when they lip in and you walk on the next shirt.
Italys Filippo Celli(67), who was awarded the silver medal for leading amateur at The Open last week, was just two strokes behind the lead. Felix Palson(68) in Sweden
The tournament is co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour as well as the LPGA Tour. The men and the women compete from different tees, and each player receives $1.5 million in prize funds.
Doherty is currently at 11 under overall and one shot ahead of her compatriot Lauren Coughlin, Dane Emily Kristine Pedersen. Doherty, a 24-year-old, recorded five birdies at her front nine.
She said that Putts were getting in today. I was hitting the ball well enough to get it close enough to them to go in, but they were just slipping in, and that was definitely my best part of my game on nine.
Georgia Hall from England shot a hole-in one on the par-3 third during her round of 69 at Massereene. She is now just three shots behind the lead.
Hall stated that he couldnt see it but it spun and pitched a few yards short before rolling in nicely.