Spanish Open: Thomas Levet took over at the top of the Spanish Open leaderboard from Soren Hansen with a 67 today, but is struggling with a back injury and has the added pressure of disgruntled defending champion Peter Lawrie bearing down on him.
The Dubliner may not be as big a draw as some of his compatriots at the moment but he’s a little miffed by the treatment he has received, or lack thereof, and admitted after shooting a 66 this afternoon that it’s been a source of motivation.
“There’s not a picture of me around the place,” commented the 35-year-old. “I’m disappointed. I thought I would deserve something and it’s a little bit of motivation.
“Somebody said yesterday about me being the ex-Spanish Open champion. I said ‘No, I am the current Spanish Open champion’.
“I’ll just try to play well and let the scores make the point.”
He is most certainly doing that. He struggled to a back nine 36 but came home in 30 after four birdies in a row from the first and then two more on the seventh and eighth.
Levet’s been on form of late but immediately after his 67 he left to get treatment on his back after injuring himself while commentating on the US Masters.
“It’s since working with you guys,” the former Ryder Cup player told reporters after adding a 67 to his opening 64 at the PGA Catalunya near Girona.
Levet went to Augusta for French television and explained: “I’m not a sitting person - I’m a standing person.
“I spent hours in a chair and it started getting stiff. There were also two long flights and it’s been bad for three weeks.”
The 40-year-old, runner-up to Ernie Els in the 2002 Open, had resumed one behind Hansen after the Dane’s course record-breaking 63 in the opening round.
Six birdies helped him to the 13-under-par mark at halfway and Hansen - the only member of last year’s Ryder Cup side not to have qualified for next week’s Players Championship in Florida - was alongside him until he finished with a double-bogey six at the 478-yard ninth.
That gave Hansen, whose tournament started with a double bogey, a 70 and 11 under aggregate.
Spaniard Alejandro Canizares and German Marcel Siem both stood eight under, while Lawrie's fellow Dubliner Paul McGinleyshot 67 for seven under
Ulstermen Jonathan Caldwelland Michael Hoeywill miss the cut on three over and nine over respectively. Late finisher Damien McGranewill join them after a disappointing 75.
Had it not been for a birdie at the 17th,
Gary Murphywould have joined them but hiss 74 was good enough to squeeze in at level par.
England’s Stuart Davis was another on seven under following a superb 65, while John Daly and Colin Montgomerie — two under and level par overnight — were
among the later starters.
Their first task was to survive a halfway cut expected to fall at two under.
