Alex del Rey (-10) and Ángel Ayora (-7) have thrown their hat into the ring for the title at the Volvo China Open. With the DP World Tour event at the Enhance Anting Golf Club in Shanghai past its halfway point, they are right in contention for it all. The lead is held by Shaun Norris (-12) and Bernd Wiesbeger (-12). Two and five shots with 36 holes to play. Within reach.
Del Rey paid the traditional price today after such a low round as the one he posted on Thursday, that fabulous 61, his best ever round on the DP World Tour. The day did not start badly, with birdies at holes 4 and 8, but from there his game cooled and he finished with an even-par card (71 strokes), with two consecutive bogeys at holes 14 and 15.
There is nothing to worry about. It was a cold day. Nothing more. “It was a nice, very calm morning, but I didn’t strike the irons as well as yesterday and from distance it becomes harder to hole putts. It’s nothing, no drama,” the Madrid native told Ten Golf at the end of the second round. It is true he has lost ground, but if today is the bad round of the week, there is no doubt he will be fighting for the win on Sunday.
In the large group of title contenders has also climbed Ángel Ayora (-7). The Málaga player has carded a 68 and has moved to the doorstep of the top 10. Beyond the position, the important thing is that he is only five shots off the lead and that today he played better golf than yesterday. It may seem fanciful, given that he shot 67 yesterday, but the reality is that he struck better shots. Yesterday he got around the greens very well to produce a four-under that felt closer to -1 and today has been the opposite. A round that looked like it would be six under has finished at -3.
Ángel started on hole 10 and his nine-hole score was four under. However, from that point, hole 18, it seems the golf froze. There were eight pars and a bogey and that prevented him from rounding off an even more powerful round. In any case, another week with the Andalusian in the upper echelons of tournaments and aiming for everything.
Rafa Cabrera Bello (-4) has posted a 69 and has not only made the cut, but can afford to look up the leaderboard. Another solid week from the Canarian, who finished the day with a great birdie at 9. On the other hand, Nacho Elvira (-1) and Rocco Repetto (-1) will have to wait for the day to finish to know whether they ultimately make the cut. It is on the borderline between -1 and -2. Those who missed out are Manu Elvira and Iván Cantero.
Another player teetering on the edge of the cut is Daniel Hillier (-1), the only top-100 player in the world present in the tournament. He faces a long wait, as does Thriston Lawrence (-1). The one who has secured the weekend is Kevin Na (-2).
