Date: October 13, 2012
Author: Omnisport

Green shoots 68 at Portugal Masters

England&aposs Ross Fisher has played through the pain to take a three-shot lead at the Portugal Masters, while Australian Richard Green shot a second-round 68. The 31-year-old Englishman hurt his left foot after taking his opening shot on Friday, slipping as he walked from the tee but with heavy strapping applied, Fisher kept going and finished with a four-under 67. Fisher moved three strokes clear at the top of the leaderboard at Oceanico Victoria Golf Course in the south of Portugal with an overall score of 10 under. After dropping a shot on the first hole, Fisher hit back with a birdie on the fourth and then produced three more birdies and an eagle on the back nine. Fisher sank a 22-foot putt to claim eagle on the par-five 17th to complete his round of 67. Scotland&aposs Stephen Gallacher, who was tied for first with Fisher overnight at the European Tour event, produced a one-under 70 to share second place with Bernd Wiesberger of Austria, who produced the equal-best round of the day. Gallacher completed his second consecutive bogey-free round but a lack of birdies cost the 37-year-old Scotsman a better score. Wiesberger had a strong back nine, birdying the 12th and 14th holes before an eagle-two on the 15th completed his six-under 65 to take him to seven under for the tournament. Gallacher and Wiesberger are one stroke ahead of Padraig Harrington and Sweden&aposs Frederik Andersson Hed, while a group of four players are tied for sixth a further shot back. Spain&aposs Miguel Angel Jimenez, Michael Campbell of New Zealand, Christian Nilsson of Sweden and Ireland&aposs Shane Lowry are all on five under. Green moved up to four under where he is joined by five other players, including Johan Edfors of Sweden, who matched Wiesberger&aposs score of 65. In an inconsistent back-nine performance, Edfors produced two eagles, three birdies, a bogey and finished with a double-bogey on the 18th hole.