Garcia hungry for local success

World number five Sergio Garcia is in pole position to claim his first professional title on home soil in the Spanish Open at the El Cortijo Club de Campo in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.

Garcia carded a second-round 68 for a nine-under-par halfway total of 135 and a one-shot lead over Mansfield's Greg Owen.

Italian Emanuele Canonica was a shot further back in third place as he battles to regain his European Tour card, with Kent's Warren Bennett, Gran Canaria native Carl Suneson and Germany's Marcel Siem another stroke adrift on six under.

Garcia had compiled a flawless five-under-par 67 yesterday to lie just one shot off the first-round pace, hitting all 18 greens in regulation.

There was to be no repeat of such accuracy in the early stages yesterday as he initially struggled to get to grips with the quirky course.

Starting on the 10th, the 22-year-old's drive found heavy rough on the edge of a fairway bunker and he was unable to reach the green with his third, eventually needing to hole a testing six-foot putt to save par.

The 11th was more straightforward and a 10-foot birdie putt went just wide, but the 12th was to prove decidedly adventurous and ultimately crucial.

Garcia's drive was fully 20 yards out of bounds - presenting one delighted local teenager with a treasured souvenir - but he did well to salvage a bogey after smashing his second ball to within 25 yards of the green on the 329-yard par four and pitching to three feet. "I hit a stupid shot on the 12th with the driver, I don't really know what I was thinking about," said Garcia.

Birdies at the 14th and 16th took him to the turn in 35, and three more followed coming home for a second-round 68 and nine-under-par halfway total of 135.

"I'm happy because I played well overall but not too happy with the end of my round," he said.

"I didn't manage to birdie the eighth or ninth which is a pity because I hit pretty good drives and they are pretty easy holes.

"Unfortunately it has happened that way both days but the course is playing harder today." Garcia has won countless amateur titles in Spain but his three European Tour successes so far have come in Ireland, Germany and France.

"It would be great to win in Spain but there are still two days to go," he added.

Owen, who added a 69 to his opening 67, finished third in his last event in Portugal three weeks ago, and is full of confidence.