Czech Masters: Alexander Bjork one ahead as Matt Wallace makes late push for Ryder Cup spot | Golf News

This week’s DP World Tour occasion is the penultimate event to qualify for Workforce Europe’s subsequent Ryder Cup crew; Alexander Bjork takes a one-shot lead into the weekend in Prague; watch the Czech Masters reside on Saturday from 11.30am on Sky Sports activities Golf

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Highlights from the second spherical of the Czech Masters from the Albatross Golf Resort

Alexander Bjork made a giant assertion to Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald by grabbing the midway lead on the D+D Actual Czech Masters.

Bjork, taking part in alongside Donald and hoping to drive his approach into consideration for a Ryder Cup debut in Rome subsequent month, adopted an opening-round 65 with an excellent bogey-free 66 at Albatross Golf Resort in Prague.

The Swede took benefit of the par-five first and charged up the leaderboard by holing from 15 ft on the eighth to spark a run of 4 consecutive birdies, with Bjork including a 15-foot birdie on the sixteenth and persevering with his blemish-free begin to the event.

Alexander Bjork holds a one-shot midway lead in Prague

Bjork sits a shot away from Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard, who posted a five-under 67, whereas Matt Wallace gave Donald one other potential choice headache after a shocking second-round 63.

Wallace, who received his first PGA Tour title earlier this season and narrowly missed out on a Ryder Cup spot in 2018, carded an eagle and 7 birdies to share third spot on 11 underneath with Finland’s Sami Valimaki.

Matt Wallace is trying to function for Workforce Europe subsequent month at Marco Simone GC

“I maintain saying to myself that I will be in rivalry this week and I will take that on going ahead,” Wallace mentioned. “Every thing’s OK. Do not panic, there is not any motive to get pissed off. I used to be seven photographs behind going into in the present day after my spherical yesterday.

“Earlier than I might have gone ‘Wow, I am too far again’, but it surely’s nice. I am taking part in good. That is what the most effective gamers do and I am making an attempt to study from them.”

Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg – one other contender for a captain’s choose for Workforce Europe – is within the group three behind after a six-under 66, whereas Ryder Cup vice-captain Edoardo Molinari is inside 4 of the lead after rounds of 66 and 69.

Yannik Paul, Adrian Meron and Victor Perez – all contained in the top-seven on the European Factors Record – head into the weekend on eight underneath, as Robert MacIntyre dropped down the leaderboard after a quadruple-bogey late in his spherical.

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Robert MacIntyre had a nightmare with a seven on a par-three which noticed him hit the water twice in entrance of Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald

MacIntyre, who presently holds an computerized qualification spot and might safe a Ryder Cup debut with victory this week, relying on different spots, put two balls within the water on the par-three sixteenth to fall eight strokes off the midway lead.

Donald narrowly missed the minimize regardless of a two-under 70, whereas Shane Lowry – the highest-ranked participant within the subject – additionally made an early exit after successive 71s left him outdoors the minimize mark.

Watch the D+D Actual Czech Masters all through the weekend reside on Sky Sports activities. Reside protection continues on Saturday from 11.30am on Sky Sports activities Golf. Stream the DP World Tour and more for £26 a month for 12 months with NOW.