Zander Lombard produced late magic on day two of the Soudal Open to head into the weekend in a share of the lead with Tom Vaillant at Rinkven International Golf Club.
The South African, who held a one stroke lead after the opening round in Belgium, holed a long-range birdie putt from 31 feet at the last to join the Frenchman at the top of the leaderboard after 36 holes.
He began his round on the back nine with a birdie at the 11th, adding back-to-back birdies at the 16th and 17th holes to make the turn in 32. More birdies at the first and fifth came either side of a bogey at the third before a final moment of magic on the last hole of the day.
The 31-year-old, who talked on Thursday about struggling to string together four consecutive rounds since regaining his card at DP World Tour School last November, said he felt like things were finally starting to come together following his injury nearly two years ago.
"It was just really solid," he said.
"It was tricky today, being late in the field. The greens got a bit trampled, and it was really a hot day today, so it started getting a bit firm and a bit more bouncy. I think this weekend's conditions are going to be really tricky.
"It's as simple as more of the same, just keep ticking my boxes. I gave myself a lot of opportunities today, and I think I only missed two greens. So, there was a lot of putting out there and reading the greens, but I just want to have a lot of chances tomorrow, keep hitting the fairways and the greens. It sounds very simple and bland, but that's good golf; it's pretty boring.
"I've been pretty aggressive off the tee. My woods are kind of my strong points this week, so I'm leaning on them and trusting on them, and hopefully they behave this weekend.
"Since my injury is almost two years ago, and a year and a half after the surgery, so it's nice to just be back in the mix. Just before the surgery, I was 86 in the world, and top 10 on the DP World Tour and playing great golf. It's nice to see that I'm still capable of that, and I feel like I'm doing that again. I feel like I'm out to try and win now, and hopefully, it's this weekend."
EARLY TARGET
It came after Vaillant produced a second consecutive bogey-free round to set the early target, following up an opening 65 with a superb seven under par 64,
The Frenchman, who also delivered two bogey-free rounds at the Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship a fortnight ago, credited consistency for the composed performance that moved him to the top of the leaderboard.
“It was very solid," he said.
"I think it’s my fourth bogey-free round in the last six, so it was pretty good. I’m playing well, I’m enjoying it out there, back in Europe finally, so it feels good."
He arrived in Belgium encouraged by a tied sixth finish at the Volvo Championship earlier in the season and a strong closing 69 in Barcelona, and he has carried that form seamlessly into this week.
He ignited his round with three straight birdies from the fifth, holing from 48 feet at the sixth and adding another from 16 feet at the seventh to turn in 32. He picked up further shots at the 11th and 13th before producing another moment of brilliance at the par three 15th, where he holed a 50-foot putt. A final birdie from 12 feet at the 17th completed a polished 64 and moved him into the outright lead.
“I’m just hitting a lot of greens. Even if I’m on the fat side, just putting for birdie is the main thing. Then I know on the shots where I feel confident, I can go for it, so I’m just giving myself 18 opportunities per round.
“Just staying patient and giving myself as many birdie chances as I can - that’s the main thing. If I’m making putts, I will go low, and if not, I’ll still try to shoot a good round, whatever happens.”
The pair sit three strokes clear of a group of five players, made up of Jacob Skov Olesen, Casey Jarvis, Richard Sterne, Jorge Campillo and Ben Schmidt.
EMOTIONAL FAREWELL
Elsewhere, Belgium's Nicolas Colsaerts said an emotional farewell in front of friends and family on the 18th green, missing the cut in his final start by two strokes but ending his career grateful.
After 505 events, a Ryder Cup and three DP World Tour titles, he ended his career grouped with great friends in Marcel Siem and Alexander Levy playing in front of home fans.
"When you look at the images, you can tell it means the world. When you walk a fairway like this, with your whole family, with your parents... I've learned the last couple of years that it's okay to show emotions. I have no problem with it. And I just hope that people will understand what it means to the majority of us who do this for a living, to have good times, but also navigate bad times. And this is why there's tears. It's a lot to take.
"I'll probably have a look tonight and feel those vibrations again. I wouldn't want it to end any other way, than having my loved ones around me. They're the ones that cop a lot of crap along the way. We have fun, we travel the world, but again, Rachel has been holding down the fort at home for almost 10 years now. It really means the world.
"I really gave it a great run. It was a little bit like the Colsaerts of old on the front nine. I started to believe again, and I forgot what it felt like, when the putt for eagle on six went in, it's probably the biggest roar that I've heard in a couple of years, and it was absolutely amazing. It's just a shame that I couldn't really cap it off with playing the weekend, but I gave it a good run. In Colsaerts style, I was up and down all day, which has been a story of my life.
"Thank you to everyone that has followed, that has clicked on my name, that has clapped wherever that would have been around the world, we've been everywhere. I have had a lot of fun doing this. All good things come to an end. I don't have the gas anymore, but I've had an absolute blast, so don't feel bad for me. Just keep going to the golf course. It’s a wonderful game. It drives you nuts at times, but, you know, that's why we come back every weekend to play."
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