McIlroy and Rumford lead in Switzerland

9/6/2008

Nineteen year old Rory McIlroy no longer leads on his own, but he still has a great chance to become the youngest winner on The European Tour since Seve Ballesteros won the first of his record 50 titles.

Watching American football on television at 4am might not have been the greatest preparation for what lay ahead, but in tough conditions at the Omega European Masters the Northern Ireland youngster added a level par 71 to his brilliant opening 63.

Defending champion Brett Rumford was the player to close the three-stroke overnight gap, a second successive 67 putting the Australian on eight under alongside McIlroy at halfway.

After his lowest round as a professional - by three - it was inevitable McIlroy could not completely switch off back at his hotel, where he ended up watching television deep into the night.

He would be the third youngest winner in Tour history if he does take the first prize, just five days older than Ballesteros was at the 1976 Dutch Open.

Dale Hayes holds the record, with the South African aged only 18 when he lifted the 1971 Spanish Open.

Rumford could also be linked to Ballesteros on Sunday. The Spanish star was the last player to make a successful defence of the title in 1978.

Finland's Mikko Ilonen took over top spot in the afternoon, but bogeyed four of his last five holes to go back to five under and into a group which also includes Miguel Angel Jimenez.

Joint third on seven under are Spain's Alejandro Canizares, Frenchman Jean-Francois Lucquin and Argentina's Juan Abbate, while Simon Dyson, Peter Lawrie and Frederik Andersson Hed are on six under.

Leaderboard – Round 2:

1. Rory McIlroy                        NIR  63 71 - 8 134
    Brett Rumford                     AUS  67 67 - 8 134
3. Juan Abbate                       ARG  68 67 - 7 135
    Alejandro Caňizares             ESP  67 68 - 7 135
    Jean-Francois Lucquin          FRA  68 67 - 7 135
6. Peter Lawrie                        IRL  67 69 - 6 136
    Simon Dyson                      ENG  69 67 - 6 136
    Fredrik Andersson Hed        SWE  69 67 - 6 136
9. Scott Barr                           AUS  69 68 - 5 137
    Julian Clément                    SUI  69 68 - 5 137
    Miguel Angel Jiménez          ESP  68 69 - 5 137
    Louis Oosthuizen                SAF  69 68 - 5 137
    Jarmo Sandelin                  SWE  71 66 - 5 137
    Patrik Sjöland                    SWE  69 68 - 5 137
    Carlos Rodiles                    ESP  71 66 - 5 137
    Mikko Ilonen                      FIN  67 70 - 5 137
    Emanuele Canonica             ITA  67 70 - 5 137

Source: European Tour