Madrid Open: Relaxed Higgins leads the way

Ireland’s David Higgins, fighting to save his European tour career, burst into the lead with a brilliant career-best 62 at the Telefonica Madrid Open today.

The 28-year-old, whose father Liam plays the European Seniors circuit, went to the turn in 31 and then added five more birdies coming home for a halfway total of 129, 13-under-par.

At the 177-yard ninth, his final hole, he finished only two inches away from a hole-in-one.

Higgins is currently 128th on the Order of Merit and needs to climb nine places to avoid a fifth trip to the tour qualifying school in three weeks’ time.

A top 10 finish this weekend should end his worries, although there is still next week’s Italian Open before everybody knows their fate.

Higgins said: ‘‘I’ve been putting too much pressure on myself and getting down on myself. This week I’ve just been relaxed.

‘‘I’ve nothing to lose and I’ve tried not to think about the situation I am in. If I do it I do it.’’

His score was one better than the course record of Seve Ballesteros and Eduardo Romero set 10 years ago, but it will not erase those from the history books because cleaning and placing was being allowed on the wet fairways.

Higgins was still only one ahead of Brian Davis, however, as the Londoner also had nine birdies in a 64 to reach 12 under.

Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez was two further back, but overnight leader and defending champion Padraig Harrington, whom Higgins beat in the final of the 1994 Irish Amateur, was only just setting off again on eight under.

Also making a great attempt at saving himself was Essex’s Robert Coles, only two days after being called into the event.

Given a chance because Warren Bennett withdrew injured on Wednesday, Coles, a lowly 152nd on the money list and looking at a top four finish to avoid the school, added a 69 to his opening 66 to stand seven under.

Darren Clarke is the only player who can now deny South African Retief Goosen the money list title, but the Ulsterman has to win both here and at the Volvo Masters in a fortnight, and at six under with three to play it was starting to look a forlorn hope with Goosen also six under after three holes of his second round.