Casey and Tunnicliff set the pace

England’s Paul Casey and Miles Tunnicliff put a dent in Jose Maria Olazabal’s hopes of a first-ever Spanish Open title in Tenerife today.

On another day of exceptionally low scoring Olazabal added a 67 to his opening 64. But 13 under par at halfway still left him two behind early pacesetters Casey and Tunnicliff.

They both had 65s, Casey having eight birdies and Malaga-based Tunnicliff nine.

Casey, from Surrey, has already won the ANZ Championship in Sydney this season, while Tunnicliff’s only tour victory came at Slaley Hall near Newcastle last summer only two weeks after the death of his golf-loving mother.

Ryder Cup match-winner Paul McGinley is only three back after a second successive 66, while Norfolk’s Andrew Marshall is also 12 under.

Title favourite Sergio Garcia, trying to become the first player since Max Faulkner in 1953 to make a successful defence, resumed this afternoon a massive 12 adrift, his first task to survive what was likely to be a record halfway cut of seven or even eight under.

Seve Ballesteros looked likely to miss out, two late bogeys leaving him with a 71 and a five under mark of 139.