Clean-shaven Padraig Harrington cut a swath through the field to post a lowest European Tour score in seven years with a sizzling 63 on day two of the Portugal Masters at Vilamoura.
Harrington seized nine birdies, including three in succession from the start of his sound, rocketed him into a share of third place at 13-under par and just one off the lead in the Euro 3m event.
Scotland’s Marc Warren went to lunch leading by two at 14-under par before England’s and defending champion, Andy Sullivan and thanks to huge support from his own ‘Sulli’s Army’, posted a 10-under par 61 to join Warren tied for the lead.
Harrington, who arrived on The Algarve sporting a good few day’s growth, then joined little-known Swede Jen’s Fahrbring at 13-under par but with only five strokes covering the top 25 players now heading to the weekend
Harrington’s effort was just a shot shy of his European Tour record low of three rounds of 62, and the last being in the 2009 Portugal Masters.
Padraig Harrington shoots lowest score on the European Tour in seven year.
And unlike his disappointment a day earlier in recording a couple of three-putts, Harrington and his band of Irish supporters had plenty to smile about following his second round.
“I was holing a few putts, of course I was having fun,” he said.
“It’s nice to be making a few birdies and it was good as I felt like I had home support out there. There is a lot Irish people down here and I suppose it’s a little while since I’ve been getting those sort of cheers on the golf course, so I was appreciating it and enjoying it.”
Four years ago, Shane Lowry drew on the same Irish support to capture the second of now three European Tour titles.
Now Harrington is out to end an eight year winless drought on European soil since capturing the 2008 Open Championship.
But with some 25 players lying within five shots of the lead, and with still two rounds to play, the now 45-year old is going to have to squeeze out every drop of gas in his tank to match the likes of Warren and Sullivan.
“There’s always that extra pressure when you’re the tournament as you’ve got something to protect,” he said.
“But then it’s not so hard to do when you’re in the middle of the pack. So, you will see guys tend to charge very well on this golf course.
“You will see somebody shoot 14-under par on the weekend, no doubt about it. But not all the leaders are going to do it.
“It’s going to be tougher for the leaders but then we saw Andy Sullivan go mad last year and win by nine and now he’s still going mad to be up there again this year.”
Indeed, Sullivan is yet to drop a shot over the two rounds and thanks also to the support he’s getting from his near 75-strong ‘Sulli’s Army’.
“They were brilliant and I am just trying to draw on them as much as I can,” he said.
“When the putts started going in early, I felt like there’s a massive atmosphere out there, and I could use the momentum to really get me going and it did.“They are absolutely fantastic and I can’t thank them enough for how many times they come out and support me.
“To be fair, every time they turn up, I seem to play well, it might be an expensive next year for me bringing them everywhere.”
Harrington finds himself a lone Irishman over the weekend with both Paul Dunne and Michael Hoey missing the cut.
Dunne birdied his closing two holes in a score of 67 for a two under par tally but it was two shots shy of playing all four rounds.
He went to Portugal lying 101th on the money list and 10 spots inside the dreaded 111th spot and cut-off point tomorrow night (SUN) for those who will retain full 2017 Tour membership.
But with 11 players ranked from 102nd to 118th on the money list making the Portugal cut it’s going to be an anxious two days for Dunne.
And Michael Hoey’s horror season ended with a par of 73s meaning the Ulster golfer losing his playing card for a first year since joining the Tour full time in 2009.
