Garcia gains ground as Lafeber slips up

Sergio Garcia surged four shots clear of the field in the Omega European Masters after a dramatic collapse by Dutchman Maarten Lafeber had opened the door wide open.

The 29-year-old from Eindhoven dropped three successive shots in the Swiss mountains after sinking seven birdies in the first 10 holes.

Elsewhere, Ireland’s Graeme McDowell moved to four under par after picking up two shots in his opening three holes, while Peter Lawrie carded a second consecutive level-par 71.

Garcia ruthlessly capitalised on that with a closing seven birdies in the final 11 holes to move to 11 under par for the championship.

Having started the day one shot behind leader and countryman Miguel Angel Jimenez he took some time to get going, having dropped shots at the 11th and 16th.

But Garcia, who has decided to take next week off ahead of the Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills, showed the type of form which would have whetted the appetite of Europe captain Bernhard Langer on his way to a thrilling second-round score of 65 to sit at the summit.

Lafeber seemed to settle himself down with three pars thereafter but his round blew up in his face again at the last with a disastrous double-bogey six at the final hole to slip completely off the leaderboard to finish on five-under.

Into his place on seven-under came Australian Peter Fowler who bagged four birdies and an eagle to finish alongside former champion and last year’s third-place man Eduardo Romero.

While Garcia and Jimenez had been supplying the fireworks and Lafeber providing the drama, the Argentinian has been going about his business quietly but with intent.

Romero’s danger would not have gone unnoticed as he built on his three-under-par 68 yesterday with six birdies to make up for his ragged two dropped shots.