Saturday 20 September 2014 10:10, UK
Ireland’s Shane Lowry hit the front at the halfway stage of the Wales Open courtesy of a flawless second round 65 at Celtic Manor.
The 27-year-old from County Offaly carded six birdies to take a one-shot lead into the weekend, where Joost Luiten and Nicolas Colsaerts are leading the chasing pack.
Former champion Thongchai Jaidee and Italy's Edoardo Molinari are another shot back, however Ryder Cup wildcard Stephen Gallacher missed the cut after rounds of 78 and 70.
Speaking after his sparkling round of 65 Lowry, who won the Irish Open as an amateur in 2009 and the Portugal Masters in 2012, said: "I'm pretty happy. I've never, ever done well here before so to be leading after two rounds is nice. Still a long way to go in the tournament but I'm really looking forward to the weekend.
"I felt like coming here I could give it a go this week. I was around 10th going into the back nine on Sunday last week and similar the week before in Switzerland so if I can get myself in a good position come the back nine this weekend, again, hopefully I can give it a go."
Lee Westwood, who had also not played competitively since bowing out of the FedEx Cup play-offs after the first event, recovered from an opening 73 with a 69 which featured two crucial birdies in the last four holes to make the cut.
Second-placed Dutchman Luiten was considered for a Ryder Cup wild card after finishing 15th in the points standings, one place above Westwood who edged out Luke Donald for the final pick.
The 28-year-old finished fourth in the Italian Open and fifth in the defence of his KLM Open title last week and said: "If it had come a couple of weeks earlier I would have been right in there for a pick but I knew I had not played well enough for the last two and a half months of the qualifying.
"I don't have the experience that the other guys have and I think that's where I lost it on really. I couldn't argue with it."
Colsaerts has not won since the Volvo World Match Play Championship in 2012 which secured his Ryder Cup place that year, but eagled the par-five 18th for the second day running in his round of 68.
