Green holds a three-shot advantage over Richard Mansell, Thomas Pieters and Marcel Schneider, with first-round leader Louis de Jager in tied-fifth and four back; Watch the third round live on Saturday from 11.30am on Sky Sports Golf
Friday 19 August 2022 18:36, UK
Gavin Green produced his lowest round of the season to open up a three-shot lead at the halfway stage of the D+D Real Czech Masters in Prague.
Green carded two eagles and five birdies on his way to a brilliant bogey-free 63 at Albatross Golf Resort, moving him to 14 under and comfortably ahead of a three-way tie for second.
Thomas Pieters carded a blemish-free 68 and Marcel Schneider made a five-under 67 to be part of the chasing pack, while England's Richard Mansell also dropped back into the group on 11 under when he finished his second-round 66 with a closing bogey.
"I'm doing a lot of things very well, a couple of things to work on - spin control was not very good today. But I'm very happy to be 11 under par," Pieters said. "Iron play, driving, everything was pretty good. All-in-all I'm pleased, even though I missed some chances coming in."
Beginning on the back nine, Green made the dream start by almost holing his approach into the par-five 10th - setting up a tap-in eagle - then nearly chipped in on his way to a close-range birdie at the next.
A two-putt birdie at the par-five 12th and another tap-in at the 14th took him to five under for the day after just five holes, with Green holing from 10 feet to save par at the 17th and see him turn in 31.
Green eagled the par-five first for the second day running, rolling in from nine feet, with back-to-back birdies over his final two holes closing out a bogey-free round and extending his advantage.
"To be honest, if you hit a good drive and get the right wind and don't have much in, you have chance for an eagle," Green said. "I made two nice putts for eagle, three nice putts and one of them was a given - I like the par fives right now.
"I played solid. I hit good drives and kept it in play all day. Didn't take any crazy risks and on some holes we played to the fattest part of the green, took our two putts, and on some holes we went for it. It paid off nicely."
Overnight leader Louis de Jager slipped into a share of fifth alongside Max Kieffer after a two-under 70, while Scotland's Grant Forrest is one of six players in tied-seventh and five back on nine under.
Watch the D+D Real Czech Masters throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Saturday from 11.30am on Sky Sports Golf.
