Second round leader Becky Brewerton of Wales

(Tenerife – Friday 25th September 2009) – Becky Brewerton of Wales took a commanding three stroke lead at the halfway stage of the Tenerife Ladies Open.

The 26-year-old Solheim Cup player added a three-under 69 to her opening 66 for a two round total of nine-under-par 135 after two glorious days of sunshine at Golf Costa Adeje on the south of the island.

Spain’s Beatriz Recari, playing in her first tournament since winning in Finland a month ago, finished at six-under after rounds of 68 and 70, with first round leader Anja Monke of Germany a shot further back after a second round of 74.

Brewerton, twice a runner-up in Tenerife, as an amateur in 2003 and as a professional in 2004, started the second round a stroke behind Monke but quickly overhauled her with an impressive front nine of three-under 33.

Starting at the 10th, Brewerton hit the green in two at the 513-yard par-five 11th hole and two putted for her first birdie of the day. She chipped in for two at the tricky par-three 14th and then chipped to tap-in distance for a simple birdie at the 450-yard par-five 18th, taking a three-stroke lead into her back nine.

On the par-five first hole she hit a nine-iron to a foot from 120 yards, resulting in her fourth birdie of the day. That was countered by a solitary bogey at the par-three seventh when her second putt lipped out of the hole.

Brewerton has been enjoying a rich vein of form since July, when she claimed her second Ladies European Tour victory at the Open de Espana Femenino by a six stroke margin.

“You have to enjoy it when you’re playing well,” Brewerton said. “I’ve been on a really good run. I think it started with winning the Spanish. Everything seems to have gone well and you’ve got to make the most of it.”

Playing on the same golf course last year, Brewerton finished at level par after four rounds in a share of 26th spot, so she was thrilled with her position on the leader board.

“I’ve looked back at quite a few tournaments this year on how my results were the year before and I finished I think level par here last year so to be nine under after two rounds is an awful lot better. I’m feeling good in this position; I’ve been in it quite a few times now this year so it would be nice to go on and convert another one to a win.”

Beatriz Recari and her caddie Andreas Thorp

She was one of only 17 players to finish under par after 36 holes owing to the difficult conditions and added: “The wind really makes this course an awful lot different. Putting was really tough because you’ve got the grain and then the wind was so strong you have to allow for that. When they were going against each other it was hard to tell which would be the stronger one. The putting was very difficult and it was tough out there all the way around.”

The 22-year-old Recari from Pamplona was pleased to be in contention so soon after her maiden victory at the Finnair Masters four weeks previously.

“I’m very excited, especially since it’s a four round tournament so I still have two more rounds to go. It’s a lot of holes and a lot can happen so I’m looking forward to it,” she said.

Recari bogeyed the 10th, which was her first hole, but picked up three birdies at the 11th, 13th and 18th, before carding nine impressive straight pars over her back nine.

“It was tougher than yesterday. It was much windier and on the back nine we were feeling it a little bit more,” she said. “I had some good two-putts on several holes on the back nine so I saved pars and at the end I missed two birdie putts but overall I’m very happy with my game.”