Thriston Lawrence is on track to emulate Seve Ballesteros and win the Omega European Masters for a third time after the defending champion opened up a two-shot lead at the halfway stage in Switzerland.
On another day of favourable scoring conditions, the South African carded seven birdies in a flawless 63 on Friday to reach 13 under and remain bogey-free through his opening 36 holes at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club.
Spain’s Nacho Elvira, runner-up last week at The Belfry, shot the low round of the week so far with a 62 to join Germany’s Jeremy Paul, making his debut in Crans-Montana, as his closest challengers, with Keita Nakajima a shot further back at ten under.
Lawrence, who first won the title in 2022, could join Ballesteros as just the second player to claim a hat-trick of wins in Crans-Montana since the tournament became a DP World Tour event in 1972, while he would become the sixth in its 103-year history.
Appearing at home in the altitude of the Valais fairways, the five-time DP World Tour winner began his second round among the morning wave off the tenth tee and picked up his first shot of the day at the par three 13th.
While Lawrence was unable to capitalise on either the scoreable par five 14th or 15th, he quickly put that disappointment out of his mind as he made a run of six consecutive birdies either side of the two nines.
But just like in the first round when he did well to save par at the 14th on Thursday, he was indebted to a chip-in par from a greenside bunker at the fifth to avoid a first dropped shot of the week before he safely parred his way home.
Without a top ten to his name since the Hainan Classic presented by MAEXTRO in March, a return to a course he knows and has enjoyed success at has provided a welcome boost.
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