• Open de Espana, Round Two

Garcia falls further behind in Spain

Sergio Garcia struggled to gain shots in the windy conditions © Getty Images

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Sergio Garcia failed to improve on his stuttering opening round at the Open de Espana, slipping further behind the leaders with a one-over-par second round of 73.

Garcia carded two bogeys and a solitary birdie in tricky conditions on the Parador de El Saler course, leaving the Spaniard seven shots off American Peter Uihlein's clubhouse lead of six-under-par.

Windy conditions and difficult pin positions proved tricky for the field, but Raphael Jacquelin carded a six-under 66 to move within one shot of Uihlein's lead, joining overnight leader Felipe Aguilar and Swede Rikard Karlberg on five-under-par overall.

"I am very pleased with the way I played," Jacquelin said. "Even yesterday, I shot one over but hit the ball pretty good.

"I have been patient and it paid today; that's the game of golf. I am very pleased six under, especially on this course - which is not easy.

"I did well today. It was great to play; I think maybe it was a little more windy this morning, but sometimes you have to be lucky."

Elsewhere, England's Eddie Pepperell moved to four-under-par overall after carding a second successive round of 70, while Scotsman Marc Warren enjoyed the same.

England trio David Howell, Tommy Fleetwood and Matthew Baldwin all moved within sight of the leader, carding a 71, 69 and 68 respectively to move to three-under-par overall.

Paul Casey followed his first round of 72 with a two-under-par 70 to set himself nicely for Saturday's third round while Miguel Angel Jimenez, in his first competitive tournament since breaking his leg in a skiing accident, missed the cut after carding a 74 to finish six-over-par overall.

Francesco Molinari also missed the cut, while brother Edoardo Molinari drifted back to one-under-par after carding a 73.

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