Broadhurst advances as Baker fails

Paul Broadhurst is in the hunt for his first European Tour win for nine years after adding a 65 to his opening 67 in the Madrid Open yesterday.

Paul Broadhurst is in the hunt for his first European Tour win for nine years after adding a 65 to his opening 67 in the Madrid Open yesterday.

The 39-year-old former Ryder Cup player only wished that Peter Baker, his best friend on the circuit, was still at Club de Campo battling him for the title. Baker's failure to make the halfway cut means that he has lost his card after 19 years on the Tour and will have to make his first trip to the qualifying school next month. Despite earnings of over £2.7m the Wolverhampton golfer fell outside the Tour's top-40 career money-winners this season and failed to finish in the top 115 on the Order of Merit.

"I've been through it myself," said Broadhurst, who had been rooting for his colleague, who came into the tournament 121st on the money list.

The favourite Miguel Angel Jimenez, four over par after six holes of his first round, produced a spectacular 63 and was only one behind Broadhurst, while Ulsterman Graeme McDowell, sixth on the Order of Merit and loser of a play-off in the Dunhill Links championship two weeks ago, shot 64 to be two back.

That round was seven better than McDowell's playing partner, Colin Montgomerie, who remained on three under.