Sweden’s Joakim Haeggman birdied five of his last six holes at Castello di Tolcinasco Golf and Country Club to move within a stroke of the lead held by Argentina’s Angel Cabrera at the conclusion of the second round of the 61st Telecom Italia Open this morning.
Haeggman, winner of the Qatar Masters in March, returned to the course at 7.30am (05.50 GMT) along with 75 other players to complete their second rounds following the weather disruptions earlier in the week and came flying out of the blocks.
Six single putts in the six holes he had remaining, including putts of 25 feet on the 16th and 18th holes, earned him five birdies to complete a round of 64, eight under par, to move to 13 under par 131.
“It was worth getting out of bed for this morning,” said Haeggman, recently announced as one of Bernhard Langer’s assistants for The 35th Ryder Cup Matches in September. “I putted very well obviously. Finished with six straight single putts and that is the key to the whole thing.
“I have been driving very well . If you keep it on the fairway you are going to have an opportunity. The greens are very good and they were rolling very well this morning after being just cut with a bit of moisture on the top which is perfect. As with the first round I have been playing very nicely and if I can keep hitting those fairways and making those birdies you never know.”
Cabrera, chasing a third European Tour title following his previous victories in the 2001 Open de Argentina and 2002 Benson and Hedges International Open, shot a blistering 63 yesterday to head the field going into the third and final round on 14 under par.
Frenchman Thomas Levet was another player to make up ground this morning, eagling the 15th and then birdieing the 16th on his way to completing a round of 65 to move to 12 under par 132 alongside Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell, who posted a second successive 66 yesterday.
The third and final round will start at 11.30 am local time (09.30 GMT) with the leaders due out at 1.30pm local time (11.30 GMT).
