Thornton finds his range in Spain

Golf:Afforded a rare start on the main tour, Simon Thornton was determined to make the most of it when the Iberdrola Open resumed in Mallorca today. Thornton, who lost his card last season, shot a second round 65 which more than made up for yesterday's disappointing 72.

At three under, Thornton was still some five shots behind the halfway leader Chris Wood, who has Darren Clarke as his nearest challenger, but his round served as a timely reminder that the adopted Irishman is still capable of cutting it at the top level. After opening with a bogey, Thornton went on something of a birdie-blitz, picking up shots at the fourth, fifth, seventh, ninth, 10th and 11th.

Good as Thornton’s round was, it was matched by Wood who claimed a three-stroke advantage over Clarke and England’s Matthew Nixon. Wood carded six birdies today and was on course to lead by four until a bogey at the par-four 16th knocked him back a stroke.

His closest challengers, Clarke and Nixon, were both level today to sit five under overall. For Clarke, it was a major recovery after a double bogey at the third and a further dropped shot at the ninth saw him go out in 38, three over par, but for European Tour rookie Nixon there was frustration with a double at the 18th.

The 21-year-old, who was the only amateur to secure a card at last year’s Qualifying School Final Stage, claimed six birdies but was hampered by two bogeys and, most harmfully, two doubles at the par-four third and par-three 18th.

“I think I’ll be more dwelling on the fact that I am playing well and have a great chance over the weekend having missed the last two cuts,” he said after that double bogey at the 18th. “I just have to go out there and give it 100 per cent and see what happens. There are scores to be made out there but if you hit a couple of loose ones then you can make a big number so hopefully I can keep it going and keep the mistakes off the card.

“There is work to do over the weekend and some great players in the field so I will keep my head down and see what it brings over the next couple of days.”

Nixon achieved the best result of his fledgling professional career in Spain, finishing 11th at the Open de Andalucia in March. One shot behind Nixon today on four under were another Englishman, David Lynn, and France’s Thomas Levet.

A further stroke back were Thornton, Scotland’s Paul Lawrie and England’s Danny Willett, who was second overnight, as golfers from the British and Irealnd made up seven of the top eight.

For overnight leader Gregory Bourdy, today was as bad as yesterday was good. After taking control with a course-record seven-under-par 63, he was seven over today, a triple-bogey seven at the 12th doing much of the damage, and finished the day tied for 21st on level par.

As for the rest of the Irish, Damien McGrane finished alongside Shane Lowry on two over while Colm Moriarty improved by 10 shots on yesterday’s disastrous 80 but it brought him no closer to a place in the weekend’s action.