Quiros is back on glory trail

Simon two off the lead

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GOOD FORM: Scotsman Gary Orr had not dropped a shot after 14 holes today.

ALVARO Quiros continued his red-hot form to take a share of the lead on a wet second day at the Castellon Masters.

The Spaniard won last week’s Portugal Masters for his second European Tour win, holding off strong challenges from Paul Lawrie and Order of Merit leader Robert Karlsson.

That win followed a fourth-placed finish at the Madrid Masters.

The big-hitting 25-year-old started the day on four under and picked up shots on the 14th and 16th holes, having teed off from the 10th.

He bogeyed the 17th to slip back but birdies on the first and third drew him level on seven under with overnight leader Soren Kjeldsen, who teed off later in the afternoon.

Peter Hanson, of Sweden, briefly matched that score with a birdie at the 10th – his first – but he was pegged back by a bogey at the par-four 15th to complete the back nine in level par, and then dropped another shot at the second hole.

Maarten Lafeber was heading in the other direction with an eagle and three birdies after 12 holes which propelled him up the leaderboard, but he still trailed Quiros and Kjeldsen by a shot.

Justin Rose, last year’s Order of Merit winner, endured a topsy-turvy back nine with four birdies and three bogeys to reach five under overall.

The score was shared by Welshman Stuart Manley who started well with a three-under 32 on the way out and four straight pars after the turn.

Former US Open champion Angel Cabrera began with nine straight pars on the back nine to stay one shot behind the leaders.

But he slipped up on the front nine, dropping shots on the first three holes to move back to three under overall.

Scotsman Gary Orr had not dropped a shot after 14 holes, and five birdies improved him to five under for the tournament.

Aberdeen’s Paul Lawrie, who carded an opening level par 71, was one of the afternoon starters.