Purcell, Dawson and Lester five back in The Hague
Conor Purcell, Robin Dawson and Rowan Lester are five shots behind Australian Blake Windred at halfway in the European Amateur Championship at Royal Hague Golf & Country Club in the Netherlands
The Australian carded a second consecutive round of 69 to lead by a shot from Switzerland’s Perry Cohen (72) on six-under-par with Purcell’s bogey-free 69 leaving him tied for 19th with Dawson (72) and Lester (73) on one-under.
Windred is hoping to become the first Australian to win the event since David Ecob lifted the second edition of the trophy in 1988.
Denmark's Nicolai Hojgaard is tied for third on four-under-par with Alexander Herrmann, who made two eagles in the first round, one of which was an ace.
Castle’s Alex Gleeson is tied for 51st on two-over, just inside the projected 54-hole cut mark for the top 60 and ties.
Kilkenny’s Mark Power rallied after his opening 79 by carding a 70 to lie just three shots outside the top 60 on five-over.
Jonny Yates shot 77 to lie 97th on six-over with Massereene’s Tiarnan McLarnon a shot further back after a 75.
European Amateur Championship, Royal Hague Golf & Country Club, Netherlands (Par 72)
1 WINDRED, Blake (The Australian) -6 69 69 138
T19 PURCELL, Conor (Portmarnock) -1 74 69 143
T19 DAWSON, Robin (Tramore/Mt Juliet) -1 71 72 143
T19 LESTER, Rowan (Hermitage) -1 70 73 143
T51 GLEESON, Alex (Castle) +2 70 76 146
T83 POWER, Mark (Kilkenny) +5 79 70 149
T97 YATES, Jonathan (Naas) +6 73 77 150
T109 MCLARNON, Tiarnan (Masssereene) +7 76 75 151
