Scott puts the professionals in their place
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Your support makes all the difference.Adam Scott remained on course to become the first amateur to win a tournament on the European Tour since its formation in 1972 here at the Moroccan Open yesterday. The 19-year-old Australian was right in contention after consecutive rounds of 66 at Golf D'Amelkis for a 12 under par half-way total of 132.
That set the early clubhouse target - later matched by Ignacio Garrido of Spain - and alongside the overnight leader Pedro Martinez, of Paraguay, who was also 12 under with three holes of his second round to play. Scott, now based in Las Vegas, is coached by Tiger Woods' advisor, Butch Harmon, and the similarities in their swings - and talent - are already striking. "Everybody tells me I swing like Tiger, even Butch says it," Scott admitted. "But it's not that I try to copy him.
"I've been in Tiger's company a few times and I was supposed to play with him at Butch's home course in Las Vegas last week but it didn't happen. Butch says he wimped out!"
Scott rose to prominence during the Greg Norman Holden International in March with a round of 63 and is tipped to follow in the footsteps of compatriot Aaron Baddeley, who won the Australian Open recently while still an amateur.
Garrido equalled the newly established course record with his second 64 that marked a return to the sort of form that brought him a Ryder Cup place at Valderrama in 1997. The Spaniard hit all 18 greens in regulation, but failed to birdie the ninth and 18th, both of which are easily achieveable par fives.
Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen and England's Jamie Spence were two shots further back on 10 under par, the latter with a 68 to add to his first-round 66.
In North Carolina, Rochdale-born Ed Fryatt had birdies at the opening two holes in the first round of the Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic to take a one-under-par round of 71, five shots off the lead.
Scores
Pedro Martinez, Paraguay, 64-66-130 Adam Scott, AM, Australia, 66-66-132. Ignacio Garrido, Spain, 68-64-132. Mark Pilkington, Wales, 67-66-133. Ian Poulter, England, 69-64-133. Ross Drummond, Scotland, 66-68-134. Shaun Webster, England, 69-65-134. Soren Kjeldsen, Denmark, 68-66-134. Jamie Spence, England, 66-68-134. Sebastien Delagrange, France, 66-69-135. Malcolm Mackenzie, England, 68-67-135. Santiago Luna, Spain, 68-67-135. Bradley Dredge, Wales, 67-68-135. Ulrik Gustafsson, Sweden, 69-66-135.
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