Kevin Phelan might have missed five cuts in his last seven starts but the 26 year old Waterford professional is looking to kick start his season lying one stroke off the lead going into the weekend at the Swiss Challenge presented by ASG.
Phelan is looking for a big week at Golf Sempachersee to climb the Road to Oman rankings, where his currently 169th in the season long race for 15 just 15 cards.
Sitting just one behind Scotland’s Craig Lee, who shot 63 Phelan fired in eight birdies and a bogey in a superb 64 following his opening round 68 to lie in a tie for second at ten under par.
“I played very well down the middle stretch,” he said.
“My putting was the most satisfying. I holed a 25-footer on the first that set the tone for the day. I made six birdies in a row and had chances to go even lower”
Phelan has been playing the Challenge Tour full time after losing his main European Tour Card in 2015 and is confident he can carry the form he has shown on the opening two days into the weekend.
“I really like the course and I feel pretty confident so I am just going to try and go as low as I can over the weekend.” He added.
Ruaidhri McGee is also in the hunt for a top finish as the Derry man is tied for fifth just three shots off the lead on eight under after carding two 67s while Cormac Sharvin is in a tie for 20th on five-under after carding 69 and 68 over the opening two days.
Craig Lee rose up the leaderboard on day two of the Swiss Challenge presented by ASG, posting an eight under par round of 63 to claim the halfway lead.
The Scotsman started his second round four shots behind overnight leaders Julian Suri and Brinson Paolini, but he significantly reduced that deficit with three birdies over his first nine holes at Golf Sempachersee.
The 40 year old, who finished 112th in the 2016 Race to Dubai – just 1,500 points away from retaining his European Tour card, showed his class over the front nine, his back nine.
After making four gains in six holes, the man from Stirling hit a stunning tee shot on his closing hole – the par three eighth – which he put inches from the pin.
Despite narrowly missing out on an Audi sports car – the hole-in-one prize on the eighth this week – the experienced Scot was delighted to make birdie and take the 36-hole lead.
“I did see the sports car today but I was happier to make the birdie,” said Lee, who is 11 under par overall and one shot clear of the pack.
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