Outsider Khan takes three-shot lead in Mallorca

SIMON KHAN will take a three-shot lead into the third day of the Mallorca Classic after a last-hole lapse from Sergio Garcia.

Khan had set a blistering pace at the top of the leaderboard with a second-round 64 for a 10-under-par halfway total at Pula Golf Club.

But tournament favourite Garcia holed his second shot for an eagle on the fourth and picked up three more birdies to move into outright second until failing to save par from a greenside bunker on the 18th.

That meant the Ryder Cup star had to settle for a 67 and a share of third place on seven under alongside fellow Spaniard Carlos Rodiles and Sweden’s Fredrik Andersson, who recorded a best-of-the-day 63.

The second round will be completed this morning due to the knock-on effect of Thursday’s thunderstorms and Khan remains on course for a second victory of the season.

The 32-year-old had made a total of nine visits to the European Tour qualifying school and taken a variety of jobs, from taxi driving to roofing and pipe fitting, to fund his golf before his shock triumph in the Wales Open in June. Ranked 255th in the world at the start of the week at Celtic Manor, Khan equalled the tour record with a front nine of 27 in his second-round 61 before coming from four behind with seven to play on the final day to beat Paul Casey in a play-off.

“I definitely thought about winning a tournament at the start of the year,” said Khan, who completed a first-round 66 this morning before going straight back out to fire seven more birdies and just one bogey.

“I had six top 10s last year, even though only a couple of them I thought I had a chance of winning, but I could feel it gradually coming.

Khan had been among 60 players forced to complete their opening rounds yesterday following two thunderstorms which disrupted play on Thursday. He chose not to attempt a birdie putt on the 14th hole as darkness fell and was left to regret that decision when he missed it on his return to the course at 8.20am.

Garcia, seeking his first victory on home soil since the Spanish Open in 2002, said: “It’s a shame because you never like to finish a round with a bogey but it was a tough day in the wind. There is still a long way to go. I like where I am although I would have liked to be closer,” he said.