Golf

Albatross helps Joost Luiten to halfway lead at Valderrama

Final hole double-bogey sees a good day for Shane Lowry end in frustrating fashion

Joost Luiten leads after two days of the of the Andalucia Valderrama Masters. Photograph: Warren Little/Getty

Fri Oct 20 2017 - 19:30

Joost Luiten hit a stunning albatross to claim a one-shot lead after two rounds of the Andalucia Valderrama Masters.

The Dutchman holed his second shot at the par-five 11th to wow the galleries and take a giant step towards the leaderboard summit, where he sits on six under par.

That moment turned the 31-year-old’s round on its head, and wiped out three of the four bogeys he made en route to a one-under 70.

Meanwhile Shane Lowry’s day ended on a sour note, with a final hole double bogey seeing him sign for a 70 - leaving him at level par for the tournament and six strokes off Luiten’s lead.

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The Offaly man had made six birdies and three bogeys during his opening 17 holes and looked set to be heading into the weekend inside the top-10.

However, a six on the par four 18th saw Lowry slip back into a share of 16th place - leaving him visibly frustrated.

Elsewhere Padraig Harrington has made it inside the four under cut mark, with a Friday 73 leaving him on three under par. Gary Hurley's week is over however, after he followed up Thursday's 80 with a 73.

Leader Luiten had finished second at last year's Open de Espana at the same venue and reached the halfway stage a stroke ahead of tournament host Sergio Garcia, Englishman Robert Rock and Scott Jamieson of Scotland.

Conditions made scoring tougher than on day one, with Rock also one under for the day and Garcia shooting a level-par 71. Jamieson’s 68, containing five birdies and two bogeys, was therefore good enough to catapult him into the reckoning.

Welshman Jamie Donaldson went one better, signing for a best-of-day four under, though he was still four off the lead after a slow start on Thursday.

Andrew Johnston, who edged Luiten in the 2016 Open de Espana, joined Donaldson in a six-strong group on two under.

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