Hartlepool golfer Graeme Storm carries on great form at Nordea Masters

The Hartlepool golfer had seven yesterday when he carded the joint best round of the day at the Nordea Masters in Sweden.

Storm shot a five-under-par 68 to finish the second round only three strokes behind one of his best pals on the European Tour, Jamie Donaldson.

The Welshman started today’s third round on eight under par, two shots in front of Italy’s Renato Paratore with Storm, England’s Max Orrin and France’s Benjamin Herbert sharing third.

Storm produced some of the best golf of the day at Barseback Golf & Country Club, carrying on from where he left off at the BMW PGA Championship last weekend.

He was the leading Briton at Wentworth, finishing in a tie for sixth at the West Course.

It continued his brilliant run in 2017, starting the year in sensational fashion by winning the BMW South African Open.

Beating Rory McIlroy to the top prize was fairytale stuff following on from his great escape at the end of last season.

Storm bogeyed the final hole at the Portugal Masters last season to seemingly miss out on retaining his card by just 100 euros, but was handed a lifeline when American Ryder Cup star Patrick Reed failed to play enough events to remain on the Race to Dubai.

That meant Storm moved up one place in the standings to claim the 111th and final card and he made the most of his good fortune by beating McIlroy in dramatic style earlier this season.

The 39-year-old told Sky Sports: “After what happened in Portugal last year, getting the reprieve of getting my card back, it kind of made me think I need to work harder, but I need to relax as well.

“The mental side of it is always a thing that’s kind of dragged me down.

“But I’m enjoying my golf, I’ve got a great caddie, Garry Melia, on the bag, that talks to me a lot.

“We’re good friends and he’s pushing me as hard as he can.”

Starting on the 10th yesterday, Storm was steady rather than spectacular on his front nine.

He birdied the two par fives, the 12th and 16th, but bogeyed the par four 17th, to be one under par for the day and for the event.

However, Storm caught fire on his inward nine, shooting five birdies in the space of eight holes.

He reeled off a hat-trick of threes at the second, third and sixth holes.

Storm then sank his putt for a two on the shortest hole on the course, the 178-yard eighth, and he went to the top of the leaderboard when he birdied the 594-yard ninth.

He would be overtaken by Donaldson, but Storm ended the day in great shape.