Translated by Ritadhvaj Bose
Ewen Ferguson produced a sublime display of golf to lead the BMW International Open after day two as the DP World Tour waved goodbye to two-time Masters Champion Bernhard Langer.
Related: David Micheluzzi leads BMW International Open
The Scotsman posted eight birdies and an eagle in an eight under second round of 64 to reach 13 under par, two clear of France’s Romain Langasque at Golfclub München Eichenried.
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The two-time DP World Tour winner made four birdies in his first six holes to move to the top of the leaderboard, but a double bogey at the par four 16th threatened to derail his charge.
The 27-year-old snatched those two shots back by holing a 17-footer for eagle at the 18th, his ninth, to make the turn at four under.
Another birdie arrived at the par three fourth, before he reeled off three birdies in a row from the fifth to take the 36-hole lead for the second time in his DP World Tour career. The last time he led at the halfway stage, he went on to win his maiden title at the ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics.
Langasque posted an impressive seven under 65 to sit second on 11 under, three clear of first round leader David Micheluzzi, American Patrick Reed, English duo Jordan Smith and Matthew Southgate, and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger, who all share third one eight under.
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Emotions were high on the 18th green as Germany’s most successful golfer, 42-time winner Langer, missed the cut and brought his DP World Tour career to a close. The 66-year-old carded a one-over 73 to finish level par and miss out on the weekend by two, but he fought until the end as he hit driver off the deck in an attempt to find a closing eagle, however saw the ball roll into the greenside water hazard.
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He fittingly saved par and was then greeted by friends, family, colleagues and staff as they showed their appreciation for all he has done for the DP World Tour, Ryder Cup Europe and the game of golf worldwide.
The third round of the BMW International Open will be a two-tee start due to adverse weather conditions forecast later in the afternoon.
Player quotes
Ewen Ferguson: “That was great golf, I played so well. I was actually playing so well I started hitting it a bit further and on 16, I hit it too far into the middle of the bunker, spun it back and made double and I was thinking there’s no point getting that angry because I’m swinging it so well and the putter felt good.
“You get days where you feel like everything goes your way. I hit a couple of bad putts that caught the lip and went in, that’s just how it works out sometimes. It’s nice.”
Romain Langasque: “I finished fifth here one year so I don’t know if I had a good one then, but it was a very good round. My driving has been more solid than yesterday and the putting has followed, so it’s been a very good round. I was very happy that I put two low scores together to start this tournament. I love this course so I feel good.”
Bernhard Langer: “It’s hard to put into words. It’s kind of been a dream come true for me, growing up in a village of 800 people where nobody knew what golf was.
“When I told my classmates that I was going to play golf they thought I was crazy, they thought I was a mini golfer. People had no idea, it was really a strange situation.
“Even when I finished school and I tried to become a golf professional people didn’t even know what that was, it didn’t even exist as a profession in a way. So it was very difficult and complicated but it was my dream.
“I was able to live that dream for 50 years.”
