Wall keeps up with Olazabal

England’s Anthony Wall fired a superb 62 to claim a share of the halfway lead with Jose Maria Olazabal at the Linde German Masters in Cologne.

Wall carded 10 birdies in a flawless second round at Gut Larchenhof and even had a first ever sub-60 score on the European Tour in his sights after six birdies in his opening six holes.

Another birdie on the 17th – he started on the 10th – took him out in just 29 but the Londoner could only manage three more for an 11 under par total of 133.

Olazabal was almost as impressive with a 65 while Ryder Cup star Paul Casey confirmed his return to top form after a long slump with a second consecutive 67 to lie one shot behind.

“After I birdied the 10th I did fancy my chances of a 59,” said Wall, the son of a London taxi driver. “But you always seems to hit a brick wall in golf.

“My swing felt great so I was firing at every pin no matter where it was. I had a few chances but it was a lovely day for me so I can’t complain.

“I shot 71 in the first round and that was a great score because I played like a wally. I concentrated so hard today it almost hurt because I didn’t want to go home so soon. There’s two weeks off after this so it would have left a sour taste.”

Wall won the Dunhill Championship in Johannesburg in 2000 but has struggled to reproduce that form since with just one top three finish.

However, as is increasingly the case, working with a sports psychologist has paid instant dividends. “I started seeing Nick Hastings, who works with Michael Campbell, last Friday,” added the 30-year-old.

“I wanted a few new ideas because I felt my game had gone stale. I’m a much better player than I was when I won but I wasn’t seeing much progress.

“There’s only one reason for that and that’s your brain. It’s our biggest club although we all deny it.”

Olazabal could no doubt identify with that statement after saying before the tournament he had never performed well on the Jack Nicklaus-designed course.

“The best finish I’ve had was 12th last year and up until then it was always down the pack or miss the cut,” said the double US Masters champion. “You need to hit the fairways here and for whatever reason I found it tough to do that, except today, and that was the key.”

Olazabal has not won a tournament since 2002 but finished third in the Open at St Andrews in July and ninth in the recent NEC Invitational, and still harbours hopes of qualifying for the Ryder Cup next year after missing the last two contests.

“Everybody is keen to play and I will do my best to make the team,” said the 39-year-old Spaniard. “It’s going to be tough with my schedule in the United States but if I play well I will have a chance.

“If I don’t it will hurt like the last two but I’m not going to throw myself over a bridge because of it.”

Olazabal has already been mentioned as a future Ryder Cup captain and will gain some vital experience when he leads the European side in the Seve Trophy in the absence of the injured Seve Ballesteros.

“I might learn a few things and it will be nice to go through an experience like that just in case,” he added.