Golf: Wiesberger on course for first Tour win

Wiesberger, who has never won on the European Tour, took advantage of calm, early morning conditions to make seven birdies in a bogey-free round at Blackstone Golf Course.

He leads by one shot from 2010 Ballantine’s champion Marcus Fraser of Australia, who followed an opening 71 with a 67.

First-round leader Victor Dubuisson of France, who thrived in difficult conditions for a 68 on the opening day, carded 75 to slide to six shots off the lead.

“It was a totally different golf course out there,” said Wiesberger, who will attempt to follow in the footsteps of Martin Wiegele and Marcus Brier and become only the third Austrian golfer to win on the European Tour.

“Yesterday it was really tough and I had to stay patient. Today I played similar quality golf but for the first 12 holes it was totally calm out there and I couldn’t really do anything wrong.”

Wiesberger’s best tour finish so far was at Gleneagles last year, when he made it into a five-man play-off for the Johnnie Walker Championship, which was won by Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn.

Fraser, twice a former winner in Europe, has been recently threatening to add to that tally. At the Avantha Masters in India in February he finish fourth, and last week at the Volvo China Open he was sixth.

Fraser also started on the back nine and hit seven birdies, but dropped two shots on the front to drop away from the lead. “I gave myself plenty of chances out there, and you know, it’s just a shame I missed a few putts on the last probably six or seven holes, which was a bit frustrating,” said Fraser. “I hit pretty good putts, but they just didn’t go in.”

The leaders will be chased at the weekend by some experienced European Ryder Cup players. Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, at 48 aiming to become the oldest winner in European Tour history, shot a 68 to move into fourth place, three shots off the lead. England’s Paul Casey (72) and Ian Poulter (67) were five shots behind.

Richie Ramsay leads the Scotttish challenge after two rounds. The 28-year-old from Aberdeen is tied for 11th place, five shots off the pace on two under, having carded a level-par round of 72 yesterday.

Glaswegian Scott Jamieson is two shots further back. His four-under par 68 left the 28-year-old tied on 29th. A 71 by Peter Whiteford moved the Kirkcaldy player to a tie for 38th on 145, while Ruthergeln’s Marc Warren, who carded a level-par 72, stands on 148 in a tie for 64th spot.

Ross Bain (six over) and David Drysdale (nine over) missed the cut, along with Open champion Darren Clarke, whose first-round 77 was followed with a 72.