THOMAS LEVET is heading to the Masters next week - to commentate, not to play - and it could be with a second successive European Tour victory to his name.
Five days after winning the Andalucian Open in Spain the former Ryder Cup star yesterday moved into third place in the Portuguese Open at Oitavos Dunes.
Levet, 11 under par following a 64 which included an amazing 105-foot eagle putt, is three behind compatriot Gregory Bourdy, with Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano the man in between them on 12 under.
The two Frenchmen have recent history together and also ancient history. Last Sunday Bourdy was part of the group at Aloha who sprayed Levet with champagne after he beat England's Oliver Fisher in a play-off. That continued a friendship which began 14 years ago when Bourdy, only 12 at the time, was invited to play the pro-am before the Lancome Trophy in Paris and Levet was the professional he partnered.
"He was a little boy and I was out-driving him by 50 yards, but now he is much longer than me," said Levet, who would be in exclusive company if he can make it two wins in eight days.
In this decade only three players - Vijay Singh, Ernie Els and Tiger Woods, past and present world number ones - have achieved the feat on the European Tour.
"I am pretty tired from last week because you lose a lot of energy when you win, but I am thinking so well on the golf course at the moment. I am not stupid any more! I am seeing all the shots and the decisions I am taking are very good. I'm Mr Two Weeks-in-a-row."
His outrageous eagle putt came from off the green at the long 16th as he covered the back nine in 30.
"It was the second longest putt of my career. The longest was from 42 yards on the fifth hole at St Andrews in 1992 I think during a practice round for the Dunhill Cup. That was for par."
Bourdy has yet to have a bogey this week and, having opened with a course record-equalling 63, he added a six-birdie 65, four of them coming in a row from the 13th.
Winner of his first Tour title in Majorca last October, the 25-year-old has not had a top 20 finish in nine previous starts this season.
The three members of the 2006 Ryder Cup team in the field all survived the halfway cut, but have plenty of ground to make up. David Howell and Paul McGinley both shot 68 to be seven under and five under respectively, while Darren Clarke is four under after a 70.
"Very, very frustrating," said the Ulsterman, who had been three clear when he stood six under midway through his first round. "I feel like I'm doing the right things, but I'm not winning the battle. Missing the Masters (for the first time since his debut in 1998) is extremely disappointing, but that's the way the cards are dealt." Clarke, out in level par 36, birdied the 11th and 16th but dropped a shot at the 17th for 70 and a 138 total.
Damien McGrane is still best of the Irish after a 69 took him to six-under-par 136, the same mark as Rory McIlroy who shot 67. McGrane eagled the seventh in a first nine of 35 but dropped a shot at 18th in a homeward run of 34.
McIlroy, out in 34 with an eagle at the seventh, birdied four of six holes from the 11th but dropped a vital shot at the 17th in his 67.
McGinley dropped his first shot of the tournament at the fifth in a first nine of 34 but a double bogey five at the par-three 14th spoiled another good round.
The cut fell at two under par which was one shot too many for Gary Murphy, who despite an eagle at the 16th fired a level par 71 for 141. Peter Lawrie was also off the mark with a second 71 left him on 143.
