Jeff Winther channelled Game of Thrones, Marco Penge had 30 per cent more to give and Shane Lowry got lazy with his luggage as the 2025 Open de España presented by Madrid reached the halfway stage.
Here is everything you need to know from Friday at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.
Seven is heaven for Marco
Marco Penge followed his opening 66 with a bogey-free 67 to move one shot clear of the field - but the Englishman still did not feel he was playing up to his potential. Penge, who had four birdies including the final two holes, said: "Slightly better - still probably only about a seven out of ten but hopefully I can play some better golf over the weekend." If so, watch out!
Winther is coming
Jeff Winther surged into contention with a 64, matching fellow Scandinavian Joakim Lagergren for the low round of day two and moving within one of Penge's lead, alongside Aaron Cockerill and Joel Girrbach. The likeable Dane said: "I’ve been playing some great golf lately, I’ve just not been able to put four good rounds together. So I feel like it’s coming – Winther is coming!" In a typically entertaining interview, he followed that Game of Thrones reference by praising the food in Madrid - "It’s outrageous actually, you shouldn’t feed pigs like me with that sort of food" - and offered the following prediction for the weekend: "Either I screw it up or I play well, it’s pretty simple." Never change, Jeff.
Cockerill clears his head
Cockerill is drawing on a change of mindset as a second successive 67 took him firmly into contention. Entering the week ranked 119th on the Race to Dubai, the Canadian - speaking on World Mental Health Day - said: “I’m just trying to get out of my own way, this year has been a difficult year for me and I’m just trying to not think about it and just try and have some fun. I’ve got one of my buddies (Jared du Toit) caddying for me and we’ve had a good time, it’s just been a change of perspective. Just one at a time and not really think too much – I think I’ve been getting in my own head a bit too much this year.”
Chipping from the chippings
This week's leading Spaniard Angel Ayora produced the shot of the day on the seventh hole. Having found a patch of wood chippings to the side of the green, the 21-year-old sent a magnificent effort pin-high before it turned down the ridge to leave a four-foot putt which he holed for a birdie.
Lowry rocking European blue
Shane Lowry is holding on to Europe's Ryder Cup glory. The Irishman, who contributed two points to Europe's winning total of 15 at Bethpage Black, joined us for a "What's in the Bag" video and sheepishly admitted he had not unpacked since returning from New York, hence a bag full of patriotic head covers.
