Brand Jnr moves into title hunt

Gordon Brand Jnr’s hunt for an elusive first title of the 2011 European Senior Tour season continued as he was just three shots off Mike Cunning’s lead after the second round of the Belas Clube de Campo Senior Open de Portugal, following a four under par round of 68.

The Scot is still chasing his first win of the year and has come agonisingly close on a number of occasions, earning four top five finishes this season, including two runner-up positions – at the De Vere Club PGA Seniors Championship in June and Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters earlier this month.

He certainly helped his chances in Portugal after a bogey-free round which included birdies at the first, ninth, tenth and 12th holes, to add to his opening round of 70.

That left him three shots behind Cunning, who stormed to the top of the leaderboard with seven birdies on the way to a six under par round of 66. The American began the day four shots off the lead set by Jerry Bruner and David J Russell but his superb round, which included five birdies in the back nine, has given him a perfect chance to avoid losing his record of winning in each European Senior Tour season he has played.

John Chillas, meanwhile, carded a two under par round of 70 to finish the day tied for 23rd place while Andrew Oldcorn was a shot further back, tied for 28th after a level par round of 72.