Beginning off No. 10 tee, World No. 355 Alvaro Quiros pieced together a 1-under-par 34-36=70 in the weather-delayed second round of the Andalucia Valderrama Masters for a 36-hole tally of 4-under 138, T3 on the leaderboard, which is where he began, six back of countryman and leader Sergio Garcia.
The Spaniard, 98th in the Race to Dubai standings, chased an opening 68 with a four-birdie, three-bogey showing on Saturday. It’s a shout to Garcia on the top but just two swings shy of second place, held by first-round leader Ashley Chesters. The 35-year-old was 1-over thru his first seven, outbalancing two circles with three squares, but played his final 11 in blemish-free 2-under, ticking birdie-4s at 17 and 4. He’s a 7-time winner on the European Tour in 261 events, most recently the 2017 Rocco Forte Open, which was his first win in six years. This is Quiro’s sixth made cut this season in 20 starts, first since the Open de France seven starts ago, with one just one prior top 10, a solo 2nd at the Trophee Hassan II back in April.