Golf: Van de Velde in hunt for rare victory

Jean Van de Velde was today in contention for his first European Tour victory since 1993 in the Italian Open in Sardinia.

Van de Velde, always remembered for throwing away the Open championship at Carnoustie in 1999, is thriving since giving up his attempts to play on the US Tour, the Frenchman securing his card for next season by finishing second in the Cannes Open two weeks ago.

‘‘Things are looking up,’’ said Van de Velde, who chipped in from 15 yards for an eagle on the 16th as he played his last five holes in five under par in a second-round 65 at Is Molas.

‘‘I wanted to commit to the US Tour but my family didn’t want to travel any more and didn’t want me to go that far away so I took the decision to play here and Cannes gave me a boost of confidence.’’

The 35-year-old’s brilliant finish left him in a tie for second place with Sheffield’s Mark Roe on 12 under par, one shot behind Frenchman Gregory Havret.

‘‘I don’t recall ever having two Frenchman at the top,’’ Van de Velde said. ‘‘It is good. It shows we can compete and play at the highest level.’’

Roe was joint leader overnight after a superb 63 on Thursday and remained on target to climb from 131st in the Order of Merit into the top 115 to retain his card, despite a second round he described as ‘‘a comedy of errors’’.

The 38-year-old managed just one par in a back nine that contained five birdies and three bogeys, carding seven birdies and four bogeys in total in a bizarre round that also included a drive out of bounds and a visit to a pond.

‘‘It was the strangest round I can remember playing for a very long time,’’ said Roe, playing this season on a medical exemption after he tore ligaments in his fingers grabbing his dog’s collar in July 1999.

‘‘The front nine I played really solidly, apart from the eighth hole where I got a flier from the rough and went through into the edge of a bush. After that the back nine was hilarious.’’

A birdie at the 10th was followed by a three-putt bogey on the 11th, another birdie on the 12th then followed by a bogey six on the 13th after hitting a three wood into a water hazard.

Another birdie was next on the 14th with the now inevitable bogey following on the par five 15th, where he drove out of bounds, the 16th and 17th then yielding birdies before finally making par on the 18th.

‘‘It was a 69 with three penalty shots and a three-putt from nowhere,’’ added Roe. ‘‘I had a really good chance to get ahead of the field but overall I’m delighted because my temperament is good at the moment.

‘‘I wasn’t rattled by the out of bounds, wasn’t rattled by the hazard. Normally I would throw the caddie and the bag in the pond. Now I’m nice and relaxed about it.

‘‘I’m pleased and if I can shoot well over the weekend, shoot a couple of 68s and get to 20 under, I might have a chance of winning I hope.

‘‘It’s nice to play good golf but it’s strange having come to the conclusion that I’m going to back off a little and play less golf.’’

Roe has already decided he will not go the qualifying school for the first time since 1984 if he loses his card but there were plenty of others facing up to that dreaded prospect.

Former amateur champion Graeme Storm was resigned to making an instant return after missing the cut at Is Molas after a second round 76.

The 23-year-old from Hartlepool was, therefore, unable to move up from 118th in the money list and must battle through six rounds at the qualifying school in Spain later this month.

Ireland’s David Higgins, who led at halfway in the Madrid Open last week before fading to 25th, also faces a fifth trip to the school after missing the cut by just one shot following a bogey on the 17th.

Russell Claydon also missed by one despite three birdies in his last four holes and will join the likes of Van Phillips Portuguese Open winner two years ago and Kent’s Peter Mitchell at the school.