From nowhere to almost there for Karlsson

WENTWORTH - Robert Karlsson signed his second round card of one-under 70 and then figured that at three-over 145, he was going to miss the cut. The Swede based in Nice, Monaco, disappointed at finishing with a double bogey seven on the 18th that messed his round, took an afternoon flight from London to Nice.

He was almost home in front of his door, when he got a call that he was likely to make the cut right on the line at three-over. Realising that he was in with a chance to play the weekend, without even as much as saying ‘Hi’ to his wife in the house, he asked the same taxi driver to take him back to the airport.

With no direct flight to London, he took a flight to Paris and then after two hours of sleep, he hired a private jet to leave at 6 a.m. He reached just in time for the 8.55 a.m. tee off.

The 2008 European Number One birdied five of the first seven holes to turn in 30 and then picked further shots at the 12th, 14th and 16th for a stunning 62 at the tough West Course. That took him to tied second and just two strokes behind the leader Chris Wood.

From being nowhere, Karlsson now has the chance to pick up the winner’s cheque of 750,000 euros that could make him the first player to win a European Tour event after coming from the cut line.

Asked where he ranked the round, Karlsson just smiled and replied: “Probably the most unexpected.”

Rory McIlroy did just that in US recently while winning the Quail Hollow Open on the PGA Tour.