Andrew Oldcorn kept alive his hopes of qualifying for the Great Britain and Ireland team which takes on Continental Europe for The Seve Trophy next month by moving into a share of the lead in the Madeira Island Open after a second round of 65, seven under par.
Oldcorn shares the lead with Italy’s Massimo Florioli on nine under par 135 with the overnight leader, Olivier David of France, two shots adrift on seven under par.
The Madeira Island Open is the final qualifying event for The Seve Trophy, which takes place at Druids Glen in Ireland on April 19-21, and with England’s Steve Webster currently occupying the last automatic place, Oldcorn needs to finish in the top four to have any chance of making the ten-man team.
He currently trails Webster by 22,449 points and knows he cannot afford to slip up.
“The Seve Trophy is now in the forefront of my mind,” said Oldcorn. “Whatever happens with this tournament over the weekend I know now that I have that chance in my hands. It will mean an awful lot to me to make the team having just missed out on the Ryder Cup and also the World Cup because of injury. I know I am good enough to be in the team. I nearly made the Ryder Cup.
“It would be a nice bonus if I can do it. But Steve is still in the driving seat. I’ve still got two rounds to play in this tournament. Hopefully I can keep myself to myself and use my experience over the weekend.”
The reigning Volvo PGA Championship, sidelined for the tail end of last season with a back injury, used all his experience to negotiate the tricky Santo da Serra course with eight birdies and just the one bogey spoiling his card.
Starting at the tenth Oldcorn birdied his first two holes, holing out from 15 feet on both occasions after finding the rough from the tee. Another brace of birdies followed on the 13th and 14th holes when he pitched to eight and ten feet respectively but his run came to a shuddering halt when he three putted from five feet on the 18th green.
Another chance went begging on the first when he failed to convert a three foot putt but he hit back with birdies at the second and fifth to move to seven under par. His experience of playing the Santo da Serra course paid off for his last two birdies as he used the contours of the greens on the seventh and ninth holes, twice pitching to a foot to complete a round of 65.
Oldcorn, chasing his fourth European Tour title, leads his for the Great Britain and Ireland team who take on Continental Europe for The Seve Trophy by nine shots after Webster shot a two under par 70 to move to level par.
Florioli finished third in this event last year behind Des Smyth after leading by two shots going into the final round. But his season fell apart as he only made six cuts in 21 events and lost his European Tour card when he finished 166th in the Volvo Order of Merit.
But after a winter of practice he feels he is ready to compete on The European Tour again and reeled off five birdies in the space of seven holes after the turn on his way to a seven under par 65.
"My short game was very good today, and that is very important on a course like this," said the 30 year old Italian. "I put in a lot of hard work during the winter and now the work is paying off."
David, added a one under par 71 to his opening 65 to remain very much among the leaders in only his fourth European Tour event as a professional and a shot further back are a group of three players of Maarten Lafeber, Benoit Teilleria and Didier de Vooght.
The cut fell at four over par 148 with 77 players progressing to the weekend.
