It would be hard to find a more international leaderboard. Eight countries are represented in the top ten at the Open de España presented by Madrid and looking down on the rest is an imperious Marco Penge. The Englishman has consolidated himself as one of the favourites for the title. Not Rahm, not Lowry, not Niemann, the best player in the Race to Dubai goes by the name of Marco Penge and he is proving it again in the Spanish capital, where he holds the lead on his own at the halfway point.
In the last two editions of the event, incidentally, the player who led on Friday night ended up winning the tournament. Penge would love the trend to continue so he could claim his third win of the year on the DP World Tour, where it has been two seasons since a player has picked up three titles in one year.
Penge is a player who took some time to mature, but after winning the Challenge Tour two seasons ago, the player everyone suspected he might be was unleashed. The golfing world had been waiting for him to arrive ever since his amateur days. Now the only way is up for the 28-year-old. A golden ticket to the Masters is one of the big incentives this week for a player who will pack his bags and head across the Atlantic next season.
Marco has consolidated his lead through some frighteningly solid golf. While on Thursday he struggled somewhat on the greens, on Friday he managed to avoid the misses. With a blemish-free card and 100% success in up-and-downs, the Englishman was able to hole all his pressure putts. It was a masterclass in consistency, which is not easy for a player that launches it as far as he does from the tee.
Joaquin Niemann is another of the standout players of the day. He recovered from an opening 73, bouncing back with a solid two-under on Friday and will be teeing it up on the weekend in Madrid. The tournament will relish another 36 holes of magic golf from the Chilean, who has five wins around the world this season. The South American is not to be written off just yet either, as he is capable of going very low. He may still go all the way.
Shane Lowry’s week in the Spanish capital did not go as planned… one 6-foot putt earned him legendary status in Bethpage, only for his flat-stick to desert him this week. On Friday he looked like he might produce one of the comebacks of the week and despite shooting 68, it was not enough to see him through to the weekend at the Open de España. The Irishman was within the cut line when he stepped onto the 16th tee thanks to five birdies and just one mishap. However, a 3-foot par putt slipped by the hole there and another for birdie shaved the hole on the 18th from 15 feet. He slapped his thigh in frustration and was left wondering what might have been.
