England’s David Gilford and Carl Pettersson of Sweden shared the lead after the second round of the Algarve Open de Portugal eventually finished on Saturday afternoon at windswept Vale do Lobo.
Petterson was six shots ahead when the second round, abandoned on Friday night because of the howling winds off the nearby Atlantic Ocean, resumed but he too soon fell victim to the toughness of the Anniversary Course and the continuing difficult conditions.
The 24 year old, who lives in North Carolina, double bogeyed his opening hole, the seventh, and went on to drop five shots in his next nine holes before a two putt birdie at the 526 yard 17th saw him finish with a 76 to tie Gilford on two under par 142.
“I just kept saying to myself to plug along,” said Pettersson. “On the first day I was lucky with the weather and I took advantage of that. But all in all I still have a good chance and I’ll be giving it my best shot whatever happens now.”
Former Ryder Cup player Gilford used his vast experience to keep calm in the difficult conditions and, although like the majority of the field he dropped shots, he compensated with four birdies in a level par 72 which also gave him a total of 142.
“It is very difficult, it is very tight and there are a few holes especially from the 11th to the 14th that are very tricky but I played well, had a few birdies and a few good saves,” said Gilford.
“It is long and difficult and it is playing very long because there is no run on the fairways and the rough is thick. But I would say it is fair. There are a couple of holes which are fives that are down as fours but that happens quite a lot nowadays.”
The only other players in the field to finish two rounds under par were England’s Greg Owen, Spain’s Miguel Angel Martin and Henrik Nystrom of Sweden, who all ended at one under par 143.
Owen and Martin finished their second rounds on Friday afternoon, Owen carding a 71 while Martin posted a 70, but Nystrom came back to finish up on Saturday, battling through the breeze to card a creditable 71.
