Niall Kearney is just three shots off the lead at the halfway stage of the D+D Real Czech Challenge as he hunts his maiden Challenge Tour win and crucial Road to Mallorca points in his DP World Tour promotion bid.
Kearney is eight-under-par after a 68 and he trails South Africa’s Casey Jarvis who leads on -11.
The Dubliner started well with three birdies in his opening five holes and he remained there after trading two birdies and as many bogeys through 14 holes before things got interesting.
Kearney dropped three shots in two holes with a bogey on six and a double on seven before finishing eagle, birdie to catapult back into a share of second place behind Jarvis.
Jarivs held a share of the lead after a six-under 66 in the first round and followed it up with a 67 to reach 11 under on a day where the wind picked up at Panorama Golf Resort.
Philipp Mejow shot a 64 for the low round of the week so far to reach eight under, where he is joined by Peter Manley, Andrea Pavan, and Niall Kearney.
Jarvis, who sits second on the Road to Mallorca Rankings, is chasing a breakthrough professional title which would earn him full status on the European Challenge Tour.
“It was a solid round,” Jarvis said. “The golf course played a lot different to yesterday with the wind.
“I hit a couple of good shots on the front nine, my back nine today.
“I made a really long putt on the first which was nice and just played solid coming in. I birdie eight and nine which was I really enjoyed.”
Jarvis teed off from the tenth and played his opening eight holes in level par before he ignited his round with three consecutive birdies.
Despite the setback of a bogey at the fifth, he quickly recovered and closed out the day with back-to-back gains at the eighth and ninth to take control at the top of the leaderboard.
He is intent on maintaining his focus over the weekend, having also contented for the title last week in Copenhagen before settling for a runner-up finish.
“You just have to stick to the plan you came into the week with,” he said.
“I think I have done that pretty well. I know which holes are gettable out there and I am taking advantage of them.”
Adam Blomme of Sweden and Spain’s Javier Sainz sit in a share of sixth place at seven under after matching 68s.
Overnight co-leader Wolfgang Glawe shot a five-over 77 as the German amateur made the cut on the number at one under.
Cormac Sharvin carded a two under 70 to make the cut on -2 as Ruaidhri McGee, Paul Dunne and Jonathan Caldwell all missed out.
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