Robert Coles might not have had the chance to watch his beloved West Ham perform their Houdini-like escape from relegation certainty last season, but the 34 year old is determined to utilise the same battling spirit as the boys from Upton Park to regain his playing privileges for The European Tour.
The Englishman lost his card last year and vowed to play the entire 2007 season on the Challenge Tour in an attempt to win it back by finishing in the top 20 of the Rankings at the end of the season.
Currently in 40th place he is moving in the right direction but gave himself the ideal chance to take a significant step forwards when a second consecutive 67 for an eight under par total of 134 saw him grab the early second round lead in the Estoril Challenge de Portugal at Quinta da Marinha.
“I actually saw a couple of the West Ham games towards the end of the season but then in the final game, against Manchester United at Old Trafford, I was playing in Toulouse and couldn’t go,” he said.
“But I had an early tee time on the Sunday and I saw a bar across from the hotel had Sky Sports so I thought, perfect, get back, get changed and have a few beers and watch the game – I couldn’t believe it when I turned up to find the bar didn’t open on a Sunday!
“I had to rely on my mates texting me from the game and every time my phone went off I thought, here we go, 1-0 Man United – I couldn’t believe it when we went 1-0 up and held on. It was brilliant and now I hope I can do as well this season on the course.”
Coles got off to a flying start in his second round with four birdies in his first seven holes. Tree trouble cost him shots at the eighth and 12th but recovered them with birdies at the tenth and 15th as he held his score together well in the strengthening winds.
“I’ve been doing okay this year on the Challenge Tour but apart from a third place earlier in the year where I had a good last round, to be honest, I’ve been treading water a little bit.
“I’ve never really been able to put four good rounds together to get a little run going and that is what you need to do on this Tour to push you up the top of the Rankings. This is by far and away my best start of the season so hopefully I can keep it going.”
Leading second round scores:
134: R Coles (Eng) 67, 67
137: A Tarchetti (Ita) 68, 69
139: C Balmaseda (Esp) 70, 69; G Acosta (Arg) 69, 70; T Cruz (Por) 71, 68; M Carlsson (Swe) 72, 67; A McArthur (Sco) 69, 70; A Sobrinho (Por) 71, 68; M Wiegele (Aut) 74, 65:
140: S Robinson (Eng) 73, 67; B Wiesberger (Aut) 72, 68:
141: J Huldahl (Den) 69, 72; P Linhart (Esp) 71, 70;
Scott Crockett
Chief Press Officer
The European Tour
Tel: +44 (0) 1344 840447
Fax: +44 (0) 1344 840444
Email: scrockett@europeantour.com
