Monty shoots 64, but Vibe-Hastrup leads Wales Open by one NEWPORT, Wales (AP) -- Mads Vibe-Hastrup of Denmark shot 6-under 63 Friday for a one-stroke lead over two Scots and an Australian in the second round of the Celtic Open Wales Open on the European Tour. His round was highlighted at the 529-yard 16th hole by a 3-wood second shot to one foot of the flag that set up an eagle on the unique par-69 Roman Road Course at the Celtic Manor Resort.
On 8 under overall, Vibe-Hastrup led by a stroke over Alastair Forsyth (65) and Steven O'Hara (66) along with Brett Rumford, who completed a late 66. Another 10 players were tied for fifth at 6 under, including Michael Campbell, whose second successive 66 improved his quest for a first title since the 2005 U.S. Open. Colin Montgomerie put himself in the title hunt after rediscovering his touch -- if not his putting -- with a 64. He is four behind. Montgomerie, who shot 70 on Thursday and bemoaned his putting, still wasn't that much happier on Friday. "I got my game back together. Got half of it right," he said. "My putting is terrible." He did hole a 20-footer at his sixth hole, the 15th, to start a run of three successive birdies. He added two more on the second nine and did not drop a shot. Retief Goosen missed the cut by six shots after scoring 73 and a 5-over total of 143. Vibe-Hastrup played on the tour for four years but lost his card in 2005 and regained it on the European Challenge Tour last year. "I drove the ball well, my irons were very good and on 16 I hit the perfect 3-wood with a slight draw. It rolled up to a foot," he said. He said the long game has been his problem in the past: "I have fiddled around with it too much." Forsyth began his round as if he intended to tear apart the 6,743-yard Roman Road Course, with two birdies and an eagle in the first four holes. But he was par for the rest of his round. He birdied the short second hole from 8 feet and the long 3rd from 10 feet. He struck a 9-iron to within a foot at the fourth hole for birdie. Forsyth admitted thinking briefly about a 59. "I three-putted 11 and that was the end of that," he said. Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. |