An & Molinari Share 54-Hole Lead at BMW PGA Championship


Italy's Francesco Molinari carded a 5-under 68 and South Korea's An Byeong-hun a 67, making the co-leaders through 54 holes of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club in England. The event is a major on the European Tour.

The 32-year-old Molinari posted five birdies and a bogey. An, a 23-year-old graduate of the Challenge Tour, had seven birdies and two bogeys to share the lead at 14-under 202. An birdied the final two holes - both par-5s - to draw into a tie with Molinari.

The shots of the day were a double-eagle by England's Tommy Fleetwood, and het another hole-in-one by Spain's ageless Miguel Angel Jiménez. Fleetwood holed out with a 7-iron from 198 yards on the par-5 fourth for his albatross, while Jiménez aced the par-3, 150-yard second with a 9-iron.

Remarkably, it was the 51-year-old's third ace of the year and his 10th on the European Tour, breaking the all-time record he had shared with Colin Montgomerie.

Molinari knew there was excitement elsewhere on the course but maintained his poise. "There were a few guys flying at the start with the albatross and other stuff you don't want to see when you're leading a tournament," said Molinari, who would earn a place at the U.S. Open and Open Championship with a win this week. "I stayed calm and overall it was a good day.

"Every tournament is different, but to win here would be pretty much at the same level I would say as the WGC events. I think it's one of these tournaments that it's just a little step underneath the majors but definitely one that you want to have on your resume in your career."

An was also pleased with his play. "I was really consistent all day," he told the European Tour's website. "I hit it well and then missed a couple of shots, which is possible on this course, but overall I played great today."

Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee had a 68 to enter Sunday two back at 204, while Fleetwood's double-eagle helped him card the low round of the day, a 7-under 65, that took him into solo fourth at 205. Jimenez had a 68 and is at 10-under 206.

Fleetwood was thrilled with his round, and his magical shot. "That was about as good as you can play a hole of golf," the 24-year-old said of his first career albatross. "Perfect drive, 198 yards to the pin. I was thinking one (club) less but went with a normal 7-iron and it pitched seven or eight feet right of the pin and spun in.

"(Fleetwood's caddie Phil Morbey) 'Wobbly' was pretty excited because it was his choice of club, not mine. You have to try and calm down after that, and I fired a 5-iron miles over the green on the fifth with a little bit of adrenalin."

As for his aces-high season, Jimenez said, "It's very prolific this year, the last few months. You get the right distance, the right club, hit a good shot and that's the ingredients you need to make a hole-in-one. It's nice to have the record."

Trailing the leaders by six is Ireland's Shane Lowry, who recorded his second straight 67, with England's Chris Wood (68) another stroke back. Seven players are tied for ninth at 210.

For all the scores, visit http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2015038/leaderboard/index.html.