Defending champion Sergio Garcia opened up a four-shot lead to take command going into the final round of the weather-shortened Andalucía Valderrama Masters hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation.

Garcia shot a bogey-free round of 64 to get to ten under par at the end of round two as he seeks his third win at this event, with first-round leader Ashley Chesters of England his nearest challenger at six under par.

A series of weather delays on the first two days prevented Garcia – who also won the 2011 edition of the Andalucía Valderrama Masters - from playing at all on Friday. After more inclement weather disrupted the early starters again on day three, it already been announced that the event would be reduced to 54 holes before he began his second round on Saturday afternoon.

Garcia made a fast start when he got out onto the course, chipping in from just off the second green to pick up his first shot of the day as he went on to fire seven birdies to match his lowest-ever score at Real Club Valderrama.

Spanish pair Alvaro Quiros and Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño and Scot Marc Warren are six shots off the lead, and two behind Chesters, at four under par. Fernández-Castaño and Warren came into the week sitting at 125th and 144th respectively in the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex and require a strong finish to retain their playing privileges.

Ireland’s Shane Lowry and Englishman Lee Westwood are one shot further back on three under par, with French pair Grégory Bourdy and Raphael Jacquelin amongst a group of eight players at two under par.

RESULTS

Player quotes

Sergio Garcia: “The conditions were pretty favourable; I did see a four or five under if you play well, but it was one of those days when I struck the ball really, really well. Every time I had to get up and down I did and I was very consistent throughout the whole day, which obviously makes a big difference.”

“I love how this course plays; it’s not a long golf course but you have to be very accurate. Unfortunately a lot of the courses we play nowadays it’s just grab your driver, hit it as hard as you can and that’s it. The beautiful thing about this golf course is that you have to think your way around; you pretty much play every club in your bag.”

“Obviously, we would have loved the tournament to go 72 holes but unfortunately we can’t control the weather and it’s been a little bit rough for us this week. We tried to make the best decision possible and tomorrow we have to play hard.”

Ashley Chesters: “There’s only one round to go and I’m not too far off the lead. I’ve got a bit of making up to do, so I don’t know if going to 54 holes makes much difference.”

“There’s always a chance. There’s not a lot of pressure on me. I’ve had a decent year, I’ve got my card sorted, and I’ve got the last few events to aim to get in to if I can have a good week here. I’ve not really got a lot to lose so I can have a go tomorrow and see what happens.”

“I’ll be playing with Sergio, who was always one of my favourite players when I was growing up. I would imagine there will be quite a lot of Spanish people hoping he will win, so I would imagine it will be a bit different tomorrow.”

Marc Warren: “It’s been a long two rounds of golf with all the delays we’ve had, but really pleased with the position I’m in. Four under after two rounds here is very pleasing.”

“I think if you’re in a good position close to the lead, 54 holes benefits you, you have 18 holes left to try to win the tournament. I think everyone understands the position the tournament director has been in this week with the weather. It’s been really tough but the whole staff, from green staff and everyone have done a great job to get us out there. The course is unbelievable. I think anywhere else we would be off already.”

Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño: “My goal this week was to finish in the top 15, that would probably keep my playing rights for next year. I think I gave myself a very good chance of doing that, going into the last round. Even maybe a chance of winning the tournament.

“I’m a member here, but you very rarely play this course in these soft conditions. I was hoping for Valderrama playing at it’s best, and by that I mean when it’s firm, fast, windy. We had none of that this week.

“I’ve won the Italian Open and the Singapore Open, they were both 54 holes, so I do have good memories of playing 54 holes. But I have to give the European Tour staff a lot of credit this week, because I think they did a great job, especially yesterday when they stopped play before we restarted this morning.”

Scotland’s Marc Warren edged closer to the lead before the fourth weather delay of the week brought the second round of the Andalucía Valderrama Masters hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation to a halt.

Englishman Ashley Chesters remains the man to catch at Real Club Valderrama on five under par, but he and Gregory Bourdy of France, who is one shot further back alongside Warren, have yet to get their second round under way.

After four hours were lost to stormy conditions on Thursday, three-time European Tour winner Warren - who came into the week in 144^th place in the Race to Dubai and battling to keep his playing privileges - returned to complete his opening round on Friday morning, signing for a round of 69.

It was not long before he was back out on course to begin his second round and he started brilliantly, reeling off birdies at the tenth, 16th and 17th to join Chesters on five under par before a bogey at the 18th dropped him into a tie for second alongside Bourdy.

Home favourite Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño is at three under par after seven holes of his second round but he has an eagle putt to come at the long 17th when play resumes on Saturday morning.

He is joined by fellow Spaniard Alvaro Quiros and Welshman Oliver Farr, who are in the early stages of their second rounds, as well as defending champion Sergio Garcia and Australian Jason Scrivener, who are due to get their second rounds under way on Saturday.

Player quotes

Marc Warren: “I’m hitting the ball as well as I have in a long time. I gave myself a lot of chances and I’m doing what you’ve got to do around here, which is hitting fairways and greens. I managed to stay patient and got the rewards with being two under for the round this afternoon”.

“There was no warming up, you just hit a few a balls and you’re ready to go. I hit two good shots into ten, which was my first hole this afternoon. Holed a nice putt there and I was just short of the green in two on 11, the par five. I didn’t get up and down there, which was frustrating”.

“I had a good chance on 13 from about ten feet and missed that, a good chance on 14 from about the same and missed that too. Then I holed a good 12-footer on 16 and another good putt just off the back edge on 17, so I felt like I got it back there”.

“Hitting fairways and greens is the most important thing around here, so hopefully I wake up tomorrow with the same swing and swing thoughts as I had today.”

Álvaro Quirós: “I can’t complain about my score. Unfortunately, the weather is making things difficult for us, but we have to compete with what we have and it’s the same for everybody. My game comes and goes. It has been even more inconsistent in the afternoon, but I got a couple of lucky kicks and I scrambled nicely”.

“My mindset is pretty good, but sometimes it’s difficult to face certain shots if you are not 100% confident in your swing. That’s one of the tough things about Valderrama, because you find yourself quite often in impossible places after a decent shot and then you start losing confidence”.

“The course is in spectacular shape considering the amount of water. Playing in these conditions is hard on the course as we don’t allow the water to absorb and we tread on wet greens, but they are holding beautifully, so we have no excuse.”

Ashley Chesters finished his opening round with a flourish to open up a one-stroke lead on the weather-disrupted opening day of the Andalucía Valderrama Masters hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation.

The 28 year old Englishman fired back-to-back birdies at the 17th and 18th holes to record a five under par round of 66 and claim the clubhouse lead on a day when over four hours were lost because of bad weather.

Stormy conditions caused problems throughout the day on Thursday, with all tee times pushed back by two hours before play had even started as inclement weather and lightning hit Real Club Valderrama in the morning.

Grégory Bourdy of France, who needs a strong finish this week to jump up the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex from his current position of 179th, is Chesters' nearest challenger on four under par after he took advantage of all three par-fives on his way to a bogey-free round of 67.

Defending champion and tournament host Sergio Garcia is once shot further back on three under par alongside Australian Jason Scrivener and fellow Spaniards Alvaro Quiros and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño who are amongst 60 players who will return to complete round one when play resumes at 9 am on Friday.

South African Darren Fichardt, Shane Lowry of Ireland and Scot Richie Ramsay are amongst a group of nine players currently in a tie for seventh place on two under par.

Player quotes

Ashley Chesters: “It’s a shame I can’t keep going, because the last few holes were the best I played all day. Considering all the delays and everything I’m very happy with five under, and it was nice to finish like that".

“This is not a long-hitters course and I’m not one of those, so it does suit my game because you just put it into position off the tee and the greens are tight – the greens are great as well".

“The forecast for the rest of the week is not very good either so I thought - I’ll just make as many birdies as I can and get in.”

Grégory Bourdy: “It was a funny day, a very long day, but I really played very solid all day long. It was hard to restart on 14, but after a great par on 14 I had a solid finish".

“I can be only happy with minus four on this course. Actually, my putter was on fire, and it’s easier when you putt great to make no bogeys".

“It was a great day and I’ll try to keep going like this. I knew that my game was in place for the last few months, though I didn’t score, but I kept quite calm and stayed confident and I’m starting well this week, so I’ll try to keep enjoying the week.”

Sergio García: “It was a long day, but it was a good day. We played hard, it’s a tough course no matter the conditions and I was pleased to be able to finish three under. Every time you shoot under par on this golf course is always a great thing, so I’m happy about that".

“I didn’t feel as smooth when I came back from the break. I managed to hit a great shot on six and then a couple of loose shots. I made a great up and down on seven – that was huge – and hit a great putt on nine – I thought I’d made it".

“Every time we play in Spain the support we get is amazing and this week is no different, so I’m always thankful for that. To be here in my favourite golf course where I am a member since last year is great fun.”

Defending champion Sergio Garcia is looking ahead to another special week in a place that he loves, as he returns to Real Club Valderrama just three weeks after becoming Europe’s all-time Ryder Cup points scorer.

He is aiming for a third Andalucia Valderrama Masters title, after also winning here in 2011, but it is a week that is about more than just golf for the 2017 Masters Tournament champion, as the event is hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation for the second successive year.

There’s a distinct Ryder Cup feel at Real Club Valderrama as Garcia is joined in the field by Thomas Bjørn, the man who led Europe to a 17.5-10.5 win over the United States in the week that the Spaniard overtook Sir Nick Faldo at the top of the points list.

Bjørn’s own Ryder Cup journey comes full circle this week as he returns to the venue where he made his debut in 1997 as part of the team – captained by the late, great Seve Ballesteros – which won the first of the biennial events to be held in continental Europe. 

The theme continues with three of the Dane’s Vice-Captains - Padraig Harrington, Robert Karlsson and Lee Westwood – all in the field, alongside 2012 winning Captain José María Olazábal. One of the Spaniard’s ‘Miracle of Medinah’ stars, Peter Hanson, is also joined by Stephen Gallacher and Edoardo Molinari, who both featured in winning sides in 2014 and 2010 respectively.

Valderrama will also be the battleground for the players who are seeking to maintain their playing privileges for the 2019 season, with players within the top 116 players at the end of this week (taking into account the six Affiliate Members currently inside the top 110) retaining their European Tour cards. Players who are on the bubble going into the week include four-time European Tour winners David Horsey of England and Italian Matteo Manassero, and Scottish pair Richie Ramsay and Marc Warren, who each have three European Tour titles.

Player quotes

Sergio Garcia: “It’s always great to come to Valderrama, and hopefully I can keep up the good work of the last six weeks so I can give myself a chance to defend the title.

“I love the way this course plays, I love how tough it is even though it's not a long golf course. It's just testing you and every part of your game, which is always good fun. The course condition is spectacular and the greens are rolling incredibly fast and true. Valderrama should be really proud.

“Being the record points scorer in the Ryder Cup is not something that I had in my mind, but it’s very nice to be on top of that list in front of all those amazing players and it means a lot. I know how much it means and I hope that everybody realises how difficult it is, so I’m very proud of that.

“I have played nine Ryder Cups, which is an achievement in itself, and I have played effectively, but I must give credit to my partners that helped me get the points, because I had great four ball and foursomes’ partners. But the main goal is helping the team.”

Thomas Bjørn: “It’s always nice to come back here. It was such a special week that one, in the sense of Seve and the way the week unfolded.

“If I had to choose a moment in the 1997 Ryder Cup, for me it was moment when I walked into that team room for the first time and I saw who was actually in that room. When you realize that you are playing in a team with Faldo and Monty, Langer and Woosie, Ollie and then Seve as a Captain, you realise that your career is going in a direction pretty fast where you are going to places you never thought you’d be, and that moment is quite big for any young player.

“The practice I’ve done over the last six months doesn’t really allow me to look at this tournament in a competitive way. I wanted to be here for Sergio, I wanted to be here for his Foundation and for all the things he’s done for golf and for me. It was a pretty unique situation for Sergio to become the all-time scorer and that’s something pretty cool to be part of.”