Winds can't blow Raymond Russell off course as Scot shoots 72

Drawing on all his experience, Raymond Russell, one of the elder statesmen of the European Challenge Tour, kept his head as others around him were losing theirs during a wind-ravaged second round of the Apulia San Domenico Grand Final in Puglia, southern Italy.

While Scott Jamieson led the home challenge in a share of eighth, Prestonpans man Russell harnessed the ferocious gusts and emerged from his battering by the elements with a hard-earned one-over 72 for a four-over 146 to sit behind halfway leaders, Steve Tiley and Bernd Wiesberger, who both had 73s for 139s.

Russell needs a big finish this week to move from 21st on the Challenge Tour rankings and into the European Tour card-winning places of the top 20, and yesterday's battling round was a step in the right direction as the 30mph wind sent scores soaring and led to just one player breaking par - Frenchman Charles Russo managed a superb 68 - in a field of 45.

Russell, who moved up 16 places on the standings into a tie for 23rd, still has plenty of work to do over the closing 36 holes to achieve promotion, but on a testing day that had the potential for a calamitous card, the 38-year-old was delighted with his efforts.

"You just had to batten down the hatches and I was very happy with the result," said Russell, who could have been a couple of shots better off but for two three-putt bogeys at six and 14.

"You need to keep your head on a day like this. Some of the younger boys may have lost it a bit and that's what I probably would've done 15 years ago, too.

"This was all part of being a 38-year-old pro. I enjoyed the challenge. A day like this helps bunch the field up a bit and that will certainly help me."

Glasgow golfer Jamieson cemented his place in the top-ten with a two-over 73 for a level-par 142, but the former EuroPro Tour No 1 was left cursing a three-putt bogey from 15 feet on the last that provided a disappointing end to a determined display.

"It was frustrating because today was a chance to steal a march," said Jamieson.

"But it was also one of those days when you felt you were only seconds from a double-bogey so it's not too bad. If I can just hole a few more putts over the last two rounds I'll fancy my chances."

Fife's George Murray, tucked in nicely at eighth on the rankings, was also reflecting on what might have been as he leaked shots at 17 and 18 in a 73 which left him in a share of 14th at the end of a day which he described as "the windiest of the season".

Jamie McLeary was the one Scot who really suffered, however, and a wretched run of six bogeys on his front nine led to a crippling 79 and dropped him down to 36th with an eight-over 150.