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Andy Sullivan Charges into the Weekend at Portugal Masters

By Elizabeth Bethel

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With a weather threat looming, the Portugal Masters 3rd round will tee off at 8am local time Saturday morning with a shotgun start.

Andy Sullivan built on his early momentum Friday, opening up a commanding lead going into the weekend at the Portugal Masters.

Sullivan fired a second consecutive round of 64 to get himself to 14 under, three shots clear of closest rival Thomas Pieters, as good scoring conditions continued at Oceånico Victoria Golf Club.

The 28-year old Englishman is looking for a third title of the season after winning the The South African Open Championship and the Joburg Open earlier in the season with Pieters also on a hat-trick after his recent victories at the D+D REAL Czech Masters and the KLM Open.

Sullivan and Pieters look all set up for a fierce weekend battle, but with an 8am local time shotgun start planned for Saturday due to the threat of bad weather, Sullivan was pleased to put together two good rounds.

"“It’s always nice to back up a good score with a new one,” Sullivan said in his post-round interview. “Sometimes it’s quite tough to go out there and back it up after shooting a low one yesterday.”"

Starting on the back nine, Sullivan got off to a flying start with a birdie on the tenth, followed that with another gain on the 13th and picked up further shots on the 15th and 17th, making the turn in 32.

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He picked up two more shots on the second and fifth and then chipped in from off the green on the 510 yard par four seventh to make it consecutive birdies on the most difficult hole on the golf course.

Pieters picked up early birdies on the second, fourth and fifth before he dropped a shot on the seventh but a long uphill putt on the tenth secured another birdie, and made further gains on the 12th and 15th and, despite missing another makable birdie putt on the last, he will go tee off from the first alongside Sullivan in round three.

Bernd Wiesberger was a further shot back on 10 under after a 64 and produced arguably the shot of the day with an eagle on the second.  The Alstom Open de France champion turned in 33 after starting on the tenth and then hit a lob wedge from 63 yards on the second and saw it spin back into the hole from 15 feet beyond the pin.

Wiesberger then picked up birdies on the fifth and seventh to sit alongside Eduardo de la Riva who recovered well after two early bogeys.

De la Riva was one over for the day at the turn after three bogeys and two birdies but he picked up shots on the tenth, 11th, 14th, 15th and 17th to get himself back into contention.

Tommy Fleetwood was then at nine under after hitting eight birdies and a single bogey while countryman Anthony Wall was on the same mark after a 64 of his own that was blemish free.

Thomas Bjørn recovered from bogeys on the 11th and 12th to register his second 67 of the week and sit at eight under with countryman Søren Kjeldsen who recorded a 66.

Trevor Fisher Jnr was also eight under after a topsy-turvy 68 that saw him go out in 31 and come back in 37 with two men in need of a good week also six shots off the lead.

Chris Paisley came into this tournament right on the mark for keeping his card at 110th in the Race to Dubai but carded a second consecutive 67, including a brilliant pitch in from the rough on the 15th for eagle, to massively boost his chances.

Adrian Otaegui is eight places behind Paisley in the standings and he also made it 67-67 as he fights for his playing privileges for next season.

There was then a large group at seven under including the retiring Anders Hansen and joint overnight leader Nicolas Colasaerts who recorded six birdies – three of them in a row from the 15th – three bogeys and a triple in a remarkable level par 71.

Defending champion Alexander Levy missed the cut which fell at one under while two-time Major Championship winner Martin Kaymer finished his round at two under.

For United States fans, Golf Channel is providing coverage for both Saturday and Sunday rounds at the Portugal Masters.

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