There was no fewer than four Australian flags flying high on the leader board after two rounds of the Omega European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre in the Swiss Alps.
Richard Green had stormed his way to a one stroke lead before a 17th hole bogey saw the Victorian settle for a round of a four under par 66 and tied on nine under par with England’s Richard Bland (64).
Also tied for the lead is the 2015 British Amateur champion, Romain Langasque (63) of France.
Australia’s Olympic golf representative Scott Hend continues to impress this year birding three of his closing five holes in a round of 67 to be one shot back at nine under while his Rio team-mate, Marcus Fraser added a 69 to be sharing 12th place on six under par and only three shots from the lead with 36-holes to be played on the Alpine course.
And adding to the ‘Down Under’ dominance was Nathan Holman shooting the equal lowest score on day two of a seven under par 63 to be tied in 14th spot one back of Fraser. Included in Holman’s round was eight birdies including four in succession by the reigning Australian PGA champion, and in what was his lowest round in 97 rounds on the European Tour.
Aussie Richard Green on his way to a share of the lead through two rounds of the Omega European Masters. (Photo – European Tour)
Green is seeking just a fourth European Tour victory and a first since in nearly six years since capturing the 2010 Portugal Masters.
And while the now Norwegian-based golfer did captured last year’s Oates Vic Open on the Australasian Tour, the 45-year old has given himself a great springboard to become the first Australian-born winner of the European Masters since Brett Rumford was fitted with the traditional red jacket in 2007.
“It’s been a difficult road this year and it’s just nice to be playing some nice golf again,” said Green.
“The good thing for me is that I have only dropped one shot in my 36 holes and that was at 17 but then the game is very solid and given the work that I have put into it over the past few months it’s very pleasing to have had just the one bogey.
“So very much happy with that and if I can keep progressing over the weekend I will be delighted.”
Queensland’s Scott looking for a third victory this year but a first on European soil. (Photo – European Tour)
Of course, along with another Tour victory toast Green also is focused on retaining full European Tour membership. He teed-up in Switzerland lying 137th on the Race to Dubai money list but staring at his poorest season finish since he was a lowly 165th on the money list in 1997 but then Green had the luxury of a two-year Tour exemption in capturing the 1997 Dubai Desert Classic when he shocked the golf world in beating Greg Norman and Ian Woosnam.
Hend has won twice this season and both in Thailand with one of those victories counting solely on the Asian Tour while the big-hitting Queenslander went so close to capturing the European Tour’s flagship event in May’s BMW PGA Championship.
But then the 43-year old is not about to get ahead of himself in seeking what would only be a third European Tour triumph.
“This golf course can grab you pretty quick so you don’t want to try and push it forward,” he said.
“Also the greens are quite tricky to read here in Switzerland and while I was out early in the morning yesterday, I was out this afternoon and it was obvious the amount of traffic there had been on them.
“But overall the weather has been magic and that’s helped with scoring.
“It’s been a great season for me and I’ve learned a lot this year so hopefully I can continue to forge ahead over the weekend.”
And while Green and Hend head the Australians in the hunt for the trophy the one player to be feared is Sweden’s Alex Noren. Noren is the reigning Scottish Open champion and was beaten a short time back by England’s Anthony Wall in the final of the Paul Lawrie Match-Play Championship. Noren also is a past winner in the Swiss Alps claiming success in 2009 that was his first of six Tour wins.
