Sweden’s Jonas Blixt continues to impress on his debut in the European Tour’s flagship BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
The 30-year old double PGA Tour winner shot a second round one under par 71 and move to five under par, and just one shot from the clubhouse lead in continuing wet and miserable conditions.
Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello dropped one shot in his round of 73 but enjoys the lead at six under par as first round leader, Thomas Bjorn of Denmark took to the West Course.
The Florida-based Blixt joined the European Tour at the start of this season in the hope of qualifying for this year’s European Ryder Cup team and he set about that goal in brilliant fashion sharing second place in debut in last month’s Masters at Augusta National.
Now the Swede has put himself in frame to win for a first time on the European Tour.
“My golf hasn’t been too great but I kind of saved myself a couple of times, hitting some really good shots,” he said.
“I don’t think now with the rain settling in that anyone is going to run away with it.
“But I can’t remember the last time I played wearing so much clothing. It became really cold out there and I’m going back to my hotel for a sleep as it was very long day yesterday with the two delays and then the early tee time today.”
Bilxt met European Team captain Paul McGinley for a first time last August at the PGA Championship at Oak Hill, and with McGinley coming away from their 10-minute conversation very impressed.
“Jonas is a golfer who displays spunk and it’s the type of player you need in a Ryder Cup side,” said McGinley.
Blixt is currently lying 19th on the European Team points table and has also entered next week’s Nordea Masters at Malmo in Sweden while he will earn further Ryder Cup points in contesting the U.S. Open before returning to Europe to compete in the Scottish Open and the following week’s (British) Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.
“Getting measured this week for the Ryder Cup clothing has really whet my appetite to make the team and that’s why I am over here this week,” he said.
“It was my only goal in joining the European Tour to make the Ryder Cup team and after my great result at Augusta, I’m really excited about trying to make the team for Gleneagles.”
Double Major champion winning Rory McIlroy is tied with Blixt fighting back from a seventh hole double bogey, that he had eagled a day earlier, to eagle the par five 12th hole for a second day running in a round also of 71 for a five under par tally.
“The way the conditions were this morning being three over par after seven wasn’t all that bad, and it wasn’t disastrous,” he said.
“But it’s been a tough two days but then yesterday was a little better today given the conditions today.
“After what was going on outside the ropes I didn’t know what was going to happen on the course yesterday whereas today at least I knew what to expect, and it was good I had a quick turnaround and get straight back out on the golf course.”
