Owen sets out determined to prove his critics wrong
The 31-year-old takes a three-stroke lead into the third round of the Algarve Portuguese Open at Vale do Lobo and is determined to prove his detractors wrong.
Owen, eight under par at halfway after a second round 70 full of thrills and spills, said his wife had heard some criticism of him on a TV broadcast. He was clearly fired up by it.
"They've made me more determined," added Owen, who was third in the tournament at the same stage on the same course last year, but did not have a chance to improve on his best-ever showing because of bad weather.
His manager Barry Hearn clearly has faith in him. They were partners in Wednesday's pro-am and Hearn was impressed enough to place a £100 each way bet at odds of 33/1.
Two behind Sweden's Fredrik Jacobson after his opening 66 Owen had a double bogey and three bogeys, he was closer to his maiden victory thanks to five birdies the last of them a chip-in to finish his day's work and a brilliant eagle on the 526-yard 17th, where he struck a drive and three iron to three feet.
Owen said: "There are going to be a few nerves, but I was nervous yesterday and I've been out in the last group before."
He then recalled the final round of the 2001 German Masters when he was one behind Bernhard Langer and shot 69, only for Langer to score 67. Jacobson matched that and John Daly blasted a 65, so Owen was "only" fourth.
"I kept pushing the birdies, but they kept making more," he stated.
"The important thing is hitting fairways and if I can continue to do that the numbers will add up themselves. We'll see what happens."
A day after breaking the course record with his 64 Jacobson slumped to a 76 and German Marcel Siem's 68 lifted him to second place on five under. Jacobson and Spaniard Carlos Rodiles are one further back and then comes Londoner Brian Davis on three under.
Out and out by a massive 11 shots on 16 over crashed Lee Westwood.
When the former European number one's next success might come is anybody's guess after he added a 79 to his initial 81 for a career-worst 36-hole total of 160.
For the second day running there was a quadruple bogey eight and a double bogey six on his card and, having been fourth in the world less than two years ago, his 30th birthday will arrive next Thursday with him close to falling outside the top 250.
Another ex-Order of Merit winner, Northern Ireland's Ronan Rafferty, was disqualified for not completing the 13th after running up a quadruple bogey eight on the previous hole to be 15 over.
Rafferty, who led the money list in 1989, suffered a hand injury and has not had a top 10 finish since 1997.
Compatriot Graeme McDowell was second at six under after four early birdies, but then had seven bogeys in the last 12 to fall deep into the pack.
English amateur internationals Richard Walker and Zane Scotland both made the cut at two and three over respectively.
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