Justin Harding played himself into contention on Friday as a second successive four-under-par 68 in the European Tour’s Dutch Open moved him into a share of ninth place, four off the lead.
It was a quiet front nine for Harding after he birdied the first hole, but bogeyed the seventh. It was all very frustrating up until then, but a birdie on nine seemed to get him going. Three birdies – on 13, 16 and 17 – took him to eight-under for the tournament. Kristoffer Broberg of Sweden held the lead at 12-under after his superb eight-under-par 64. He was one clear of Belgian Thomas Detry and Denmark’s Marcus Helligkilde.
Behind him, Louis de Jager signed for a two-under-par 70 to take him to a share of 30th on five-under, while Branden Grace put on a good surge to make sure of playing at the weekend with his four-under 68 containing an eagle, four birdies and two early bogeys. He was on four-under in a share of 39th.
Wilco Nienaber was also on four-under after a level-par second round of 72. George Coetzee and Brandon Stone were on three-under after rounds of 72 and 73 respectively. Bryce Easton also made the cut after a five-under 67 took him to two-under and into the weekend on the number.
Missing the cut were Dean Burmester, Daniel van Tonder, Jacques Kruyswijk, Zander Lombard and Haydn Porteous.
