Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal carded a course-record 62 to claim a two-shot lead at the halfway stage of the EPGA Dutch Open on Friday.
Larrazabal birdied his first six holes on the par-70 Kennemer Golf Club to be out in 28, and a European Tour’s first sub-60 round was still possible after he followed four pars with another birdie.
But the 31-year-old then recorded four more pars before finishing with two birdies and a bogey in the last three holes to finish 10 under par, two ahead of France’s Romain Wattel and Italy’s Edoardo Molinari.
“I started very fast with birdies on the first six holes and then I tried just to play golf and put myself in position to make some more, but the round cooled down a little bit in the middle,” said Larrazabal, who won his third European Tour title in Abu Dhabi earlier this year.
“After starting with six birdies I was thinking it is a par 70, I only need five more. The middle of the round it cooled down but it was a great shot into the last to finish with a 62.
“I was aware of the 59 more than the course record. I thought about the 59 when I started with six birdies. I thought I only need five more to make the magic number, but maybe I put a bit more pressure on myself. I’ve got a few course records around Spain but none on the European Tour, so it is nice.”
Wattel carded six birdies and one bogey in his round of 65, with Molinari hitting six birdies and two bogeys for a second successive 66.
American Peter Uihlein, Scotland’s Richie Ramsay and Dane Soren Hansen were two shots further back on six under, with defending champion and home hope Joost Luiten five under after adding a 70 to his opening 65.