Warren Crashes From Austrian Victory Penthouse To British Masters Cellar.

4 years ago by Comments Off on Warren Crashes From Austrian Victory Penthouse To British Masters Cellar.

Marc Warren has gone from the Austrian Open winning penthouse to the depths of the BetFred British Masters cellar and last place in horribly missing the cut at Close House near Newcastle – https://closehouse.com/british-masters/

It was just a fortnight ago, Warren emerged from the European Tour’s five-month lockdown and delighting his Scottish golf fans by ending a six-year winless drought in capturing the Austrian Open near Vienna.

Adding to Warren’s Tartan triumph was the fact he won in the Austrian countryside carrying his own clubs given his regular caddy could not travel as he had not received results for a mandatory COVID-19 test.

And now with caddy Ken Herring calling the shots Warren crashed to last with scores of 78 and 77 to be placed in 130th after the withdrawal of ‘Beef’ Johnston and fellow Englishman Jason Levermore.

The nature of the ancient club-and-ball game that will face. Marc Warren ends a 6-year winless drought to capture the Austrian Open and in his very next event he crashes to last place in the BetFred British Masters. (Photo – European Tour)

While Warren was heading back to Glasgow, fellow Scot David Law kept the Tartan flag flying high adding a second round 69 to his opening 64 to be sharing fourth place at nine-under with fellow Scot Calum Hill (66).

Italy’s Renato Paratore didn’t drop a shot for a second day in adding a five-under par 66 to move to 11-under par in wet and difficult conditions.

Paratore, 23 is looking to savour a second Tour success after capturing his maiden title at the 2017 Nordea Masters.

England’s Dale Whitnell produced five birdies and a 17th hole eagle ‘3’ and matching Law’s opening 64 to be in second place at 10-under par.

Law celebrated the opening round of his 50th European Tour event starting with a one shot lead thanks to his 64 but on day two his rivals were passing by the 25-year Scot old who made the turn with nine straight pars.

Then at the par-5 10th hole, Law landed a 4-iron to just 10-feet and rolled in the eagle putt to get back into the overtaking lane however a ‘scrappy’ bogey on 14 halted his progress before regrouping to grab a birdie at 17.

Law said: “I was happy with that as the conditions were tough. There wasn’t much wind, but the rain was on and off for much of the round.

“It just felt like one of those days when you hit it to 30 feet and two-putt, so the eagle on 10 was nice to get the round going a bit.

“I didn’t drive the ball particularly well, but the rough isn’t that thick round here and the greens are obviously soft, so you can get away with it.

“I hit a lot of greens on the front nine without hitting a lot of fairways. Back nine, I didn’t hit as many greens but, all in all, I am happy with two-under.

“Over the next two days, the important thing is to have opportunities. My iron play feels good and my putting feels good. If I can just drive in the fairway, that might just give me enough chances over the next two days.

“It’s pleasing to only have had one bogey in 36 holes. But the greens are soft, which makes it a bit easier.”

Hill was out in the afternoon half of the draw and then for a second day in a row the winner earlier this year on the Outlaws Tour superbly stole birdies at 16, where he holed a 50-footer, and 17 in his round of 66.

Then Gleneagles attached Hill again has younger brother Ian on the bag and the duo gelled nicely to be just two off the lead and two rounds to play.

Hill said: “The game was again solid, with a good finish.  I hit it really well the whole way round and made a couple of good putts coming in which was nice.

“When I first played this course I thought this is worse than the course I played when I won in Austria (2019 Euram Bank Open), it’s up a mountain as well, but there most of the tiers you hit to are flat, you have a hike to the tee box and then hit down to a flat area, and then down again to the green.

“But here you’re off uneven lies the whole time. The walk isn’t that bad, it’s just really uneven. But it’s fun, a bit like playing at home, in the U.K. I mean.

“I will just keep ploughing away and if I keep doing what I’m doing I should be fine. I never get too flustered, sometimes I can get a little cross but it doesn’t impact my game and to the extent it would impact me playing. Mentality I’m pretty strong.”

Other Scots to make the one-under par cut include Scott Jamieson (70 & 69) at three-under, Richie Ramsay (69 & 71) at two-under par and Grant Forrest (70 & 71) on one-under par.

 



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