Bjorn and Del Moral surge as McGrane stays in Estoril hunt

THOMAS BJORN and Carlos Del Moral both shot rounds of 65 to share a two-shot lead at the top of the Estoril Open leaderboard at the end of the second day.

Ireland’s Damien McGrane and Luke Goddard shared the lead at the halfway stage yesterday and while McGrane is still in with a shout tied in third with English pair Steve Webster and Robert Coles, Goddard slipped to joint 16th.

Bjorn hit eight birdies to race to 13 under with a hole to play but the Dane then bogeyed the par five last to join Del Moral on 12 under.

Overnight leader McGrane, Webster and Rock are all on 10 under.

Webster’s last European Tour title came at the 2007 Portugal Masters and the 35-year-old turned in 34 after starting at the 10th before registering a hat-trick of birdies from the first.

McGrane had looked on course to set the clubhouse target for the second day running as he advanced to 11 under for the week with six to play.

But the former Volvo China Open winner came unstuck at the 434-yard fourth when his wayward approach led him to shooting a double bogey six before a birdie at the ninth, his last, repaired some of the damage.

Coles mixed eight birdies with two bogeys in his 66 as he looks for a second top-five finish of the season.

Goddard had a disastrous afternoon, his 73 seeing him plunge to a tie for 16th on seven under along with fellow Englishman John Parry and Wales’ Stuart Manley.

Meanwhile Colm Moriarty produced an outstanding finish of four birdies in his closing six holes to join Italian sensation Matteo Manassero on four under, just four strokes off the pace at the Scottish Hydro Challenge at Macdonald Spey Valley in Aviemore.

The Athlone man’s 67 left him on four under par 138 to sit behind halfway front runner, George Murray of Fife, who hit a 67 for 134.

“It was a great finish and it turned an average round into a good one so I am happy with that,” said Moriarty.

“I have been playing quite well and it’s nice to turn that into a decent score and to be back in contention. This is a big week for the Challenge Tour players, with a €200,000 prize fund, so it’s important to play well.”

Gareth Shaw is one behind Moriarty after a 71 for 139 while Clandeboye’s Jonathan Caldwell slipped to a one-over 72 but repaired some of the damage caused by two double-bogeys with a brace of late birdies as he finished on the two-under 140 mark.

Michael McGeady narrowly survived the cut on 142 after a 74 but Paul O’Hanlon departed on 150 after a 77.