Italy’s Alessandro Tadini will be hoping to make up for the disappointment of the shock defeat last week of his beloved football team, AC Milan, as he takes a two stroke advantage into the second half of The Celtic Manor Wales Open.
Last week AC Milan were 3-0 up at half-time against Liverpool in the Champions League Final only to lose out after a penalty shoot-out. Tadini was at Wentworth Club watching the drama unfold and whilst he says he didn’t shed a tear he will be looking for a better week in Wales.
Tadini’s seven under par 62, establishing a new course record and the best round of his fledgling European Tour career, put him on top of the leaderboard on 11 under par 127. England’s David Lynn is his closest challenger on nine under par 129 after a 66 while Spain’s Miguel Angel Jiménez, the highest ranked player in the field at World Number 22, is poised to make a challenge over the weekend from his position at eight under par 130.
Tadini, who represented Italy in the World Golf Championships – World Cup last year, is playing his second season on The European Tour International Schedule having graduated in second place from the Challenge Tour last season. Victory in the Costa Rica Open and five other top ten finishes, including the dual ranking Aa St Omer Open where he finished second, ensured a return for the 31 year old.
Whilst he has struggled to carry that form to The European Tour this season, a change of coach a few months ago is starting to pay dividends, as his flawless 62 demonstrated.
A 30 foot birdie putt on his first hole, the tenth on the Roman Road course at The Celtic Manor, got him going and he followed that with two more, on the 15th and 16th holes from close range, for an outward half of 31. Turning for home Tadini picked another four birdies in five holes for a matching 31.
“Today my putting was beautiful,” said Tadini. “I only made 24 putts including two good par putts on the last two holes. Everything went well.”
Lynn, who defends his KLM Open title at Hilversumsche Golf Club next week, will draw on his experience of winning as he chases his second European Tour title.
“I know what it takes to finish off a golf tournament and you have to learn from that,” said Lynn. “I hope it stands me in good stead. Your mind can wander and you learn to control that, what to say to yourself at vital moments. The hardest thing to control was my emotion, knowing I was realising a dream. You have to be able to cope with that and handle it.”
One player who can certainly handle the occasion is Jiménez, winner of 12 titles on The European Tour International Schedule including five in 2004, who shot a two under par 67.
Jean-Francois Lucquin of France lies a further shot back on seven under par after a 66 while six players are grouped on six under par including Ryder Cup Captain Ian Woosnam, who leads the Welsh challenge.
