Storm stays ahead

Home

Graeme Storm produced a flawless second-round in Hilversum on Friday to increase his lead to three-shots in the KLM Open.

Graeme Storm produced a flawless second-round in Hilversum on Friday to increase his lead to three-shots in the KLM Open.

Starting the day with a two-shot advantage, the Englishman didn’t drop a shot en route to a four-under-par 66 and an 11-under total of 129 at the halfway mark.

Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (65), Scott Jamieson of Scotland (64) and Sweden’s Peter Hanson (66) are tied for second at eight-under.

Storm, though, is not only looking to end his five-year winless drought but he also hopes to stay in the hunt for the Race to Dubai and safeguard his playing rights in the process.

A top-three finish in the Netherlands could help the 34-year-old, who is 114th on the money list, to secure his card for next year.

Asked on europeantour.com if his position in the Race to Dubai had been on his mind, Storm replied: “Every day. It has been for the last three months. It is a big struggle missing so many cuts.

“It’s all about momentum and for two days it has gone my way.

“The goal for me still is to keep my card, even though I am leading.

“If someone comes through then so be it, I just need my card for next year.”

He added: “It makes a change to have all red on my card.

“Hopefully I used all the bogeys up last week in Crans and long may it continue.

“I wasn’t expecting to shoot four-under. I just managed to go round and keep the bogeys off the card as I did yesterday and made a few birdies.”

Jamieson picked up seven shots in his first 10 holes, but a bogey saw him finish with 64.

“Being four under after four holes was a very hot start and a couple more of them would be great,” he said.

“Six under par on any day is great but especially on a course like this where it is tight off the tee.”

Shiv Kapur and Pablo Larrazabal are two shots back while Colsaerts, Danny Willett, Simon Thornton, Bradley Dredge and Raphael Jacquelin are tied for seventh at five-under.

Colsaerts also didn’t drop a shot in a round of 65.

“I drove the ball fantastically today keeping the ball under the trees by hitting a lot of stingers,” the Belgian said. “But it has been good to play with Martin (Kaymer) as that is the first time we have played alongside each other, so we chatted about the Ryder Cup and what to expect and so on.

“So it’s already been a good week for me, picking up pieces like from a salad bowl on what to expect at Medinah.”

European Tour News Home

Latest