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Lafeber makes capital in the Barclays Scottish Open
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Lafeber makes capital in the Barclays Scottish Open

Maarten Lafeber proved he was in perfect health both physically and mentally when a sparkling second round 63, as hot as the scorching sunshine at Loch Lomond, gave the 30 year old Dutchman the lead at the halfway stage of the Barclays Scottish Open.

The winner of his native Dutch Open in 2003 had a difficult year on The European Tour International Schedule in 2004 thanks to an elbow injury caused by a swing change and although that aspect has improved this year, it was still having a knock-on effect on his self-confidence.

However, a reunion this week in Scotland with his former sports psychologist Jos Vanstiphout put Lafeber on the right track in that area too and so, with both his game and mind in fine fettle, it was little wonder he produced a performance to head the high quality field assembled on the Bonnie Banks.

In soaring temperatures, the Dutchman took full advantage of the ideal scoring conditions to post a flawless 63 for a 12 under par total of 130, to open up a one shot lead over BMW Championship winner Angel Cabrera of Argentina, who added a 67 to his opening 64 for 131.

Scotland’s Alastair Forsyth thrilled the bumper crowds of 14,730 when he moved into a share of third place on ten under par 132 alongside Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke and Jonathan Lomas of England, but the main plaudits of the day belonged to Lafeber.

The former Dutch Amateur champion got his round off to a flying start when he chipped in for a birdie on the short 11th, his second hole of the day, and posted three further birdies at the 13th, 14th and 18th to reach the ‘turn’ in 31.

On the front nine, Lafeber only gathered one birdie – at the 518 yard third hole – in his first five holes but ensured his rise to the top with a superb late birdie barrage, holing from six feet at the sixth, 15 feet at the seventh, and three feet at the ninth after an exquisite sand iron approach.

Moments after signing for a score just one shot outside Retief Goosen’s 1997 course record 62, Lafeber admitted he owed a lot to Belgian Vanstiphout, who has already had Major Championship success with Ernie Els and Goosen.

“I talked to him on Wednesday afternoon and he asked, ‘How are you doing?’” said Lafeber. “I said I was doing fine, playing solid all year and stuff, but I felt the mental side of my game was letting me down.

“I thought that my self-confidence was low and that I was struggling on the course as a result. He said: ‘Well, let’s start working together again and see how it goes.’ I got positive really quickly and that helped me out yesterday and again today; it’s paying off.”

Second placed Cabrera matched Lafeber’s closing birdie at the ninth from three feet almost exactly and elsewhere had four other birdies to offset his only bogey of the day which came at the 235 yard 11th where he missed the green with a four iron.

“I played much better than yesterday but scored three shots more – that happens in golf,” he said. “I only missed one fairway and two greens but I still think the score is okay.

“I played really good and had birdie chances on nearly every hole apart from the 18th where I took the wrong club – a nine iron instead of a wedge – flew the green and made a good up and down.

“However today was the easiest I’ve ever seen Loch Lomond, no wind or rain and not like usual at all. But I like all conditions and that’s why I play in Europe. But this gives everybody a chance to win – it is all on the putting.”

Of the trio in joint third place, the best score was posted by leading home player Alastair Forsyth, whose 64 was one shot better than both Clarke and Lomas’s respective 65s.

“You want to do well for the crowds as well as yourself,” he said. “But you have to sometimes just keep your head down and not think about the people trying to catch your eye or wave at you. But it is good to get that extra cheer at the green if you hit a good shot – that is nice.”

Like Lafeber, Lomas did not drop a shot, while Clarke had a more adventurous outing, notching two bogeys and an eagle three at the 13th, and six birdies, including four in a row from the sixth to end his round in spectacular fashion.

At the end of the day, the cut fell at two under par 140, meaning 72 players will contest the final two rounds on Saturday and Sunday.

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