England’s Canter takes lead in DP World’s Catalunya Championship

Former Dubai resident (Den) Thomas Bjørn, Spaniard Ivan Cantero Gutierrez, Kiwi Ryan Fox, England’s Daniel Gavins and Frenchman Adrien Saddier were then at five under.

'Special place'

Canter has tasted success at PGA Catalunya Golf and Wellness before, coming through the Qualifying School here in 2015 and 2016.

“I feel like I’ve spent half my life in this part of Spain, between here and Lumine,” he said. “I think I’ve been to Q School six or seven times. I know it well, know a few of the local restaurants, I guess that counts - you feel comfortable. I love this golf course, I love the facilities and everything about it. It’s genuinely a bit of a privilege to play it. I think it’s a really special place.”

Canter made his first birdie of the day on the fifth and then took a big stride up the leaderboard as he holed out from the rough on the par-four sixth to sit just one behind the overnight leaders.

Birdies on the tenth and 12th handed him the lead and he had a two-shot advantage with another gain on the 16th before a bogey on the next saw him set the target at seven under.

Four birdies

Bjørn, the 2001 Dubai Desert Classic champion, who also lifted the title here in 1999, continued to roll back the years as the 51-year-old carded a 70 containing four birdies and two bogeys, a feat matched by Gavins.

Former Emirates Golf Club junior member, Sebastian Heisele (Ger) and Marcel Schneider (Ger), Australian Maverick Antcliff, South African Darren Fichardt, Portuguese Ricardo Gouveia, Finn Mikko Korhonen and Dane Thorbjørn Olesen were at four under.

The cut fell at two over par with 72 players moving forward to the third and fourth rounds, today and tomorrow.

The third round tee times have been brought forward with the leaders out last at 9.46 am due to the afternoon’s weather forecast.