The leaderboard is packed at the halfway stage of the 2024 European Amateur Championship after a hot and sunny day in Denmark.
Seven players are within just two strokes of the lead heading into ‘moving day’ on Friday at The Scandinavian, with Tim Wiedemeyer (GER) holding a narrow advantage at the top.
The German, starting the day in a tie for 8th place, got off to a hot start on Thursday with three birdies in the opening four holes. A couple of bad breaks late on the front nine led to two bogeys, but the three-time Jacques Léglise Trophy player finished with four birdies in hist last six holes.
A 67 (-5) moved Wiedemeyer up to 7-under-par for the tournament and into the solo lead.
Overnight leader, Preston Summerhays (USA) had a steady day with 2 birdies, 15 pars and one bogey, moving him to -6 for the tournament but back into a tie for second as many players around him made ground on Day 2.
The American is joined by three other players on -6, compatriot Tommy Morrison, Scotland’s Gregor Graham and France’s Bastian Amat.
The Scott, who played with Wiedemeyer in the first two rounds, had a short birdie putt on the 18th to tie his playing partner at -7, but couldn’t convert. He’ll nevertheless play with Wiedemeyer again on Friday, this time in the final group.
Bastien Amat (FRA) will complete tomrrow’s final three-ball after a 68 (-4) on Thursday. The Frenchman was +1 after 11 holes today but bounced back with five late birdies, rocketing him nearly 20 spots up the leaderboard into a tie for second place.
Santiago De La Fuenta (MEX) and Alfons Bondesson (SWE) are also well in contention at the halfway stage, just two shots behind the lead in a tie for 6th on -5.
Jerry Ji (NED), the 2018 runner-up in this event, was one of three players to go bogey-free in Round 2, carding a 67 (-5) to move up to a tie for 8th.
Defending champion, Jose Luis Ballester (ESP) made an early charge on Thursday, opening with three straight birdies. It looked like the Spaniard would finish the day in the mix after reaching the 10th 3-under-par for the day, but four bogeys in the closing seven holes would cancel out the regining champions made-up ground.
In addition to the winner, another player will earn an invitation to The Open this week through the three-event series, rewarding the best performer across the St Andrews Links Trophy, The Amateur and the European Amateur Championships.
Scotland’s Calum Scott, who claimed the European Amateur bronze medal in 2022, established himself as a strong favourite to win the series in Round 2, finishing with five consecutive birdies to shoot a 68 (-4) and move up into a tie for 15th.
With Jack Bigham (ENG) and James Ashfield (WAL), Scott’s two main competitors in the series this week, both much further down the leaderboard, it looks like the spot at Royal Troon might well go to the scottsman.
Exactly 96 players made the 36-hole cut at +6, ahead of a further third round cut to 60 and ties after Round 3.
