Elvira takes shock lead at Farso - as Staffordshire's Richard Mansell endures poor round
Spain’s Nacho Elvira claimed a shock lead at the halfway stage of the Made in HimmerLand event as he bids to claim a second DP World Tour title.
The world number 584 has made just five cuts in 17 events this year and has a best finish of 23rd, but birdied six of his first seven holes en route to a superb second round of 62 in Farso.
That gave Elvira a halfway total of nine under par and a one-shot lead over Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, with England’s Ross Fisher a shot further back.
Scotland’s Marc Warren, who won the inaugural event in 2014, and Richie Ramsay lie three shots off the pace following matching rounds of 64.
“That was what I call a quick start,” Elvira said. “From one to seven, I hit the ball really, really well.
“I hit it really close to a foot on one, to two feet on three, three feet on four, so the golf was really good. Then I tried to be patient and managed to get two or three more birdies on the scorecard and I did.
“This game takes a lot from you, especially mentally, and I really feel like things are turning around. It’s been a tough season, very slow, changing many things, many things have been happening in my life, but I’m pleased with where I’m at.”
Warren’s start was almost as good as Elvira’s, the 42-year-old carding birdies on the first four holes and another on the seventh before dropping his only shot of the day on the next.
“It was nice getting out in a bit of sunshine this morning,” Warren said. “Less wind after the battle yesterday afternoon, so it was nice to take advantage of the better conditions and got off to a really hot start.
“[Having] good memories, feelgood factor, always helps. Some of the signage up around the place, you see the year you’ve won, there are a few plaques around the place so it’s really nice.
“It’s been mentioned a few times this week so that always brings back good memories.”
Richard Mansell’s hopes of playing on into the weekend were ruined by a horror four-hole run.
The Staffordsahire golfer posted two bogeys and two double bogeys between holes four and seven to tumble down the leaderboard as he ended the day – and the tournament – five over par.
