BMW Masters: Bjerregaard takes route 66 to the top

Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard moved to the top of the leaderboard at the BMW Masters at Lake Malaren today with an outstanding second successive round of 66. The Dane made light work of a course that played long and tough after overnight rain and a strengthening breeze. He has dropped just one shot in 36 holes and has picked up 13 birdies along the way.
 
Among the chasing pack are Sergio García (ESP), the overnight leader, and Thongchai Jaidee, of Thailand, who lie three strokes back after rounds of 71 and 68 respectively. One stroke further in arrears are two Englishmen, Ian Poulter and Paul Casey, and Byeong-Hun An (S. KOREA), winner in May of the BMW PGA Championship, the European Tour’s flagship event.
 
“It was a great round and I finished off with some good birdies coming in,” Bjerregaard said. “It was a good bit tougher than yesterday. With the wind up, some of the holes were playing really long.”
 
Of the five players in with a chance of overhauling Rory McIlroy at the top of the standings for the Race to Dubai, England’s Justin Rose, who currently lies fifth, remains the best placed, on five under par, after a workmanlike round of 72. Danny Willett, Rose’s compatriot, lies second to McIlroy and needs to finish inside the top 28 to go to the final event of the season – the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai next week – at the top of the rankings. He had a 69 to move to three under par for the tournament and into 28th place.
 
Martin Kaymer kept German hopes alive with a score of 69 that moved him to six under par, six strokes off the lead, while Max Kieffer, the BMW Golfsport Ambassador, moved to four under par after a 68. There was not such rosy news for Marcel Siem, the defending champion, who was out of sorts from the start in a disappointing 80.