Room-mates Matt Blackey and David Park carried friendship a stage further in Brazil when they followed one another to the top of the leader board in the second round of the Brazil Sao Paulo 500 Years Open at Sao Paulo Golf Club.
Blackey, from Hayling Island in Hampshire, fired a course record 63, eight under par, for a halfway total of 133. He leads a European Tour event for the first time since gaining his card in 41st place out of 42 in the Qualifying School Finals last November.
However the 28 year old is only one stroke ahead of his good friend since their amateur days, David Park of Wales, who carded a second successive 67 to lie in second place on 134, eight under par.
Park then revealed that the two mates are rooming together in their Sao Paulo Hotel this week and said: “We’ve shared quite a few times in the past. I’ve know Matt since amateur golf and we roomed together on the Challenge Tour in 1998 and 1999.
“His 63 was a fantastic effort today, but it makes me laugh to think that we were chatting last night and he kept moaning about how he could never keep a good score going! The next morning he goes out and shoots a course record.”
Blackey, playing his fifth tournament on the main Tour, could have been lost to golf had he stuck to his first love of the medieval Sport of Kings, Real Tennis. As a teenager he was ranked in the top three in Britain and he lives only 500 yards from his club, Seacourt, at Hayling Island.
The Earl and Countess of Wessex are also keen enthusiasts of Real Tennis, and Blackey explained: “I’ve met Prince Edward and Sophie at the club before. They are keen on the sport. There are only 30 clubs in Britain and I’ve always enjoyed playing it. My club were the National Champions last year and I played in three losing finals.”
Blackey admitted it was a pleasant feeling to see his name at the top of the pack for the first time, while Park felt that his game is starting to reach the level which earned him his first Tour title in the Compaq European Grand Prix last summer.
Per Nyman of Sweden followed his opening 67 with a 68 to share third place on 135, seven under par, with Spain’s Tomas Muñoz, who is playing in 2000 on a medical exemption after undergoing surgery for a hand injury last September.
Nyman, in fact, is following in the tradition of other Swedes, Jarmo Sandelin and Patrik Sjoland, by employing his girlfriend as caddie. He said: “My girlfriend, Jenny, starting caddieing for me in Portugal this year and this is our fifth tournament together. So far, it’s working well. She doesn’t play so I do all the yardage, but she keeps me calm on the course.”
Jean-Francois Remesy and another Qualiyfing School graduate, Ian Poulter, come next in a tie for fifth on six under par.
