• Open de Espana, Day Two

Aiken shows benefits of brief break

Jose Maria Olazabal made the halfway cut in Spain, but was preoccupied with the news of Seve Ballesteros' deteriorating condition © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Aiken clinches first Euro title
  
• News: Ballesteros' condition has worsened
  
• News: Larrazabal raises home hopes as Quiros struggles
  
• Profile: Matteo Manassero | Alvaro Quiros

Leaderboard

South African Thomas Aiken fired a second successive round of 68 to leap to the top of the leaderboard at the Open de Espana.

Aiken, who had previously taken four weeks away from the game in Barbados to recharge his batteries, proved the hiatus to have been a productive one, as he made just two bogeys alongside six birdies on the way to an eight-under halfway total no other player could match.

Aiken described his game on Thursday as "rusty", but nevertheless has managed to find 12 birdies already in Barcelona - on a course many players have struggled with.

Local favourite Pablo Larrazabal came the closest, but the first round leader could only manage a fairly uneventful round of 70 as he posted a seven-under total that nevertheless leaves him firmly in the hunt.

Larrazabal's fellow overnight leader Romain Wattel was a shot further back at six-under, alongside a number of players including Scotland's Scott Jamieson, Alvaro Velasco, Gregory Bourdy, Anthony Wall and Alexander Noren.

After a slow start on Thursday, there was a general improvement in scores from a number of the more high-profile names in the field. On a day where the sad news of Seve Ballesteros' decline reached the Real Club de Golf, compatriots and friends Miguel Angel Jimenez and Jose Maria Olazabal shot rounds of 72 to ensure they comfortably made the cut at one-under and level-par respectively.

"I can't talk," Olazábal said afterwards, when asked about Ballesteros. "I can only wait, and cry."

Matteo Manassero fired a two-under 70 to secure his place for the weekend, while Colin Montgomerie also slipped comfortably inside the number despite a 74.

The wait was less comfortable for Alvaro Quiros, however; the popular Spaniard posted a two-over total early after a level-par 72 but had to wait anxiously before finally seeing his name slip inside the cut-line for the weekend.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.