Khan shoots 61 on European Tour

NEWPORT, Wales, June 4 (UPI) -- Simon Khan of England became only the fourth player in European Tour history to shoot a 27 for nine holes Friday en route to the lead in the Wales Open.

Kahn shot a course-record 11-under 61 that gave him a 14-under 130 for 36 holes and a two-shot lead over Paul Casey.

Khan started his round with four birdies, an eagle and another birdie before he finally had to settle for a par-3 on the seventh. But two more birdies to the turn made him the third player to shoot 9-under for nine holes.

The other players to have shot a 27 for nine holes on the PGA Tour have been Spain's Jose Maria Canizares, Sweden's Joakim Haeggman and England's Robert Lee, who has done it twice.

Khan needed an eagle on the par-5 18th to shoot 59, but he pulled his drive into the left rough and his second shot finished just short of the green. His chip shot ran 15 feet past and he missed the putt coming back for a 61.