South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout on Friday led the Andalucia Masters by four strokes after a second-round 68 compiled in testing conditions at Real Club Valderrama.
Lying one shot adrift of overnight leader Victor Perez, the 24-year-old followed up his first-round 66 to move eight-under-par going into the weekend.
“A course like this you can score from the fairways, and if you don’t hit the fairways you’re going to struggle. I prefer the tougher conditions, you’ve just got to face it and I’m just going to do the same over the weekend,” Bezuidenhout said.
Photo: EFE
Bezuidenhout has two runner-up finishes on the European Tour, but is still searching for that first win after claiming third at last week’s BMW International Open.
Tournament host Sergio Garcia added a one-over 72 to his 66 to share second, four shots behind, alongside his Spanish compatriots Adri Arnaus and Alvaro Quiros, as well as Welshman Bradley Dredge.
Garcia is bidding for a fourth title at Valderrama after winning the Andalucia Masters the past three times it was staged at the course in 2011, 2017 and last year.
“I wouldn’t say it was a bad round, it was very difficult this afternoon,” the 39-year-old said.
Perez was unable to reproduce his opening-day 65, the Frenchman signing for a 73 to join a group of five at three-under.
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