The world number one elect, the player long thought of as the coming man of European golf and the future of the game on this side of the Atlantic makes for an outstanding trio to contest the European Tour’s premier title at the BMW PGA Championship this weekend.
Luke Donald ended the day in the lead again but shares it at six under with the big-hitting Spaniard with the big personality Alvaro Quiros and Matteo Manassero, the outstanding Italian teenager who only celebrated his 18th birthday less than a month ago.
Oddly, for all the big names that have flooded the best ever field for the annual flagship event on the Wentworth West Course, of the four major winners, seven top-10 ranked players and 11 Ryder Cup stars, only Donald is in the top 10, Lee Westwood being the closest at one under in a tie for 13th.
Of the four major champions, only Martin Kaymer made it through at three over while Rory McIlroy and the Molinari brothers just squeaked into the weekend by a shot.
The debate about whether this new Wentworth redesign is making the course too tough and too unfair as suggested by Ian Poulter and Paul Casey will rage on, but after Simon Khan’s unexpected win last year, the odds are that another unfamiliar and unheralded name can take the tour’s most prestigious title.
No one would be complaining if any of the top three at the halfway stage kick on to win, with the momentum in Quiros’ favour after his best-of-the-day 67, although he has reined in his more swashbuckling instincts this week.Difficult”It’s a difficult balance,” said the tour’s unanimously-acknowledged biggest bomber. “I hit a few bad shots off the tee but I am the right side of the green if I miss.
“I’ve been playing very, very safe, having consideration for the bad weather and how tough the greens are, they are very hard and quick. It’s been a good strategy and giving me bonuses without hitting the ball perfectly.”
Having his power helps as all the par fives are reachable, including the monster 17th, although he had to chip in there from the back of the green for the second of three birdies to finish.
Donald is often categorised as conservative and Manassero is not thought of as a long hitter, but the young Italian doesn’t think it’s a long-hitters’ course at 7300 yards. “Not at all. You have to draw the ball a little bit and it’s a course that suits me that way,” he said.
“You do have to be conservative, but you’ve got to choose the right moment to attack.”
Manassero got lucky on the last when he chose to attack, clipped a tree as he went to the green in two and saw his ball waver dangerously close to the new water hazard there, but he made the most of it by getting up and down for his birdie.
“I hit a good shot there and it would have been perfect if it hadn’t clipped the tree,” he said.
“I thought I played the hole fantastically well, even if I was a bit lucky because it could have been in the water I was unlucky just to hit the tree.
“Sometimes you should take risks, that’s what I’ve done for the last two days and it’s what I’ll do the next two days.”ExperiencesHis first look at Wentworth has been a great one, and he’s looking forward to storing away the experiences over the weekend.
“It was a very big crowd today (a record for the event, in fact) and it was big fun,” he said.
“I think it is the biggest experience I will have. I’ve never led in such a big event. I have two great players leading with me, and I’m going to be nervous.
“But I will look to enjoy the experience and will fight to keep the lead until Sunday.”
For Donald, it seemed like he had finally reached the end of his run of outstanding performances, which surely has to happen sometime.
He was two over after 10 facing the toughest stretch on the course but buckled down and ground out seven pars and a birdie at the 17th the rest of the way to hang on to a share of his lead with a one-over 72.
“Of course, I didn’t expect to come out and play the way I did yesterday, and a couple of the bogeys I made were pretty weak ones,” he said.
“But I stuck in there and to come back in one under for the last eight was a good finish.”
As for his co-leaders, Donald had plenty of praise.
“I’ve played with Alvaro he’s a very strong player,” he said.
“Matteo I’m impressed with in general, what he has done at such a young age is remarkable.”
The cut fluctuated all day but finally fell at four over, meaning that Graeme McDowell missed by a shot, as did defending champion Simon Khan.