Joost Luiten moved into contention in Austria for the second week running when he opened up a two-shot lead after the second round at the Euram Bank Open.

The Dutchman added a seven-under-par 63 to his opening 65 to lead by two strokes from Sweden’s Philip Eriksson and Frenchman Joël Stalter on 12-under at Golf Club Adamstal. 

The 34-year-old also led last week’s Austrian Open after the first round but faded over the weekend to finish in a share of 18th place. 

Luiten, a six-time European Tour winner, started the day with two birdies and an eagle on his first five holes and made another gain on the ninth, going out in just 31 strokes. Three birdies followed on the back nine before he signed for a 63 after a bogey on the last. 

Eriksson who, like Luiten, made a strong start last week at Diamond Country Club, carded a four-under-par 66 to join Stalter in second place after the 28-year-old carded his second consecutive round of 65.

Spaniard Scott Fernandez carded the lowest round of the day, an eight-under 62, to join seven others in a share of ninth place.

But it was a disappointing week for the four Irishmen in action as Michael Hoey, Niall Kearney, Gavin Moynihan and Robin Dawson all missed the two-under-par cut.

Hoey had opened with a one-under 69 but shot a one-under 72 to miss out by three shots on one-over.

Kearney finished three strokes further back on four-over after rounds of 70 and 74 with Moynihan (75-71) six-over and Dawson (73-76) nine-over.

Player Quotes

Joost Luiten: “You never want to finish with a bogey. I missed the green, hit a decent chip and missed a short putt from about eight feet. All in all it was a good day and I don’t want to ruin it just because of the bogey on the last. I need to take the positives into the weekend. 

“There were 17 great holes really, I haven’t been in a lot of trouble or missed a lot of greens, even though it was tricky out there with the wind picking up a bit and the rain coming in. I’m really happy with seven-under.

“It was more difficult than yesterday, because of the wind. It’s hard to judge where it comes from up in the mountain. In the middle of the round it really picked up and when the rain came in it died down a little again. It was a tough day.”               

Joël Stalter: “I had a great round today. I really had it going on the front nine and then on the back nine I gave myself a lot of chances, I didn’t make them but it’s still really solid. Bogey free round, you’ll always take those.

“The pins were tucked. It was windy but I gave myself a lot of chances. I had six feet for birdie on 13, ten feet for birdie on 14. I just didn’t make those, and on 16 I lipped out. It was tough to get close to the pins, but great playing. That’s golf, you make some putts, then cool down. At the end of the day it’s a great round.”

Philip Eriksson: “I’m playing pretty similar to last week – solid golf and hitting the putter really well. It’s good fun playing out there right now.

This is what you want, coming out to the first tournaments, being in contention right away and feeling the heat. I’ve tried to get some practice back home, challenging friends, but it’s not really the same. Nothing beats playing in a big tournament like this.”

Euram Bank Open, GC Adamstal, Ramsau, Austria (Par 70)

Detailed scores

128 J Luiten (Ned) 65 63

130 P Eriksson (Swe) 64 66, J Stalter (Fra) 65 65

131 J Brun (Fra) 67 64, 132 D Lawson (Aus) 63 69, C Blomstrand (Swe) 65 67, J Catlin (USA) 66 66, C Robb (Sco) 68 64

133 A Knappe (Ger) 66 67, R Sciot-Siegrist (Fra) 67 66, M Gradecki (Pol) 67 66, R Mansell (Eng) 67 66, G Kristjansson (Isl) 67 66, D Gavins (Eng) 68 65, R Petersson (Swe) 69 64, S Fernandez (Esp) 71 62

134 S Matus (Cze) 63 71, O Lindell (Fin) 64 70, J Wrisdale (Eng) 64 70, G Higgo (Rsa) 65 69, S Gregory (Eng) 66 68, R Gouveia (Por) 67 67, L Gagli (Ita) 70 64

135 R McGowan (Eng) 65 70, E Dubois (Fra) 66 69, D Foos (Ger) 67 68, L Nemecz (Aut) 68 67, O Lengden (Swe) 68 67, T Rosenmuller (Ger) 68 67, M Siem (Ger) 69 66, L Lipold (Aut) 69 66

136 A Wilson (Eng) 65 71, S Tarrio (Esp) 65 71, M Ford (Eng) 66 70, A Arnaus (Esp) 66 70, J Thomson (Eng) 67 69, P Oriol (Esp) 68 68, T Baltl (Aut) 68 68, B Ritthammer (Ger) 68 68, J Kolbing (Ger) 68 68, H Arkenau (Ger) 69 67, D Perrier (Fra) 69 67, M Schmitt (Ger) 69 67, H Magnus (Isl) 70 66

137 V Riu (Fra) 66 71, A John (Ger) 67 70, N Von Dellingshausen (Ger) 67 70, S Vincent (Zim) 67 70, F Mory (Fra) 68 69, M Schneider (Ger) 69 68, J Girrbach (Sui) 69 68, H Long (Ger) 69 68, M Brier (Aut) 69 68, R Karlberg (Swe) 70 67, F Bergamaschi (Ita) 70 67, F Laporta (Ita) 71 66, S Heisele (Ger) 71 66

138 O Lieser (Cze) 65 73, F Maccario (Ita) 68 70, J Dantorp (Swe) 68 70, E Di Nitto (Ita) 68 70, I Cantero Gutierrez (Esp) 69 69, D Boote (Wal) 69 69, S Manley (Wal) 70 68, S Forsstrom (Swe) 70 68, N Moller (Den) 70 68, M Lundberg (Swe) 72 66

Cut

139 F Lacroix (Fra) 67 72, J Sjoholm (Swe) 67 72, C Mivis (Bel) 68 71, A Bjornsson (Isl) 69 70, C Hanna (USA) 69 70, S Tiley (Eng) 69 70, D Huizing (Ned) 70 69, S Valimaki (Fin) 71 68, N McCarthy (Eng) 72 67

140 H Sturehed (Swe) 66 74, A Karlsson (Swe) 66 74, R De Sousa (Sui) 67 73, P Langfors (Swe) 68 72, N Hojgaard (Den) 68 72, G Bourdy (Fra) 69 71, T Clements (Eng) 69 71, M Wiegele (Aut) 69 71, A Arizabaleta (Col) 70 70, R Evans (Eng) 70 70, P Figueiredo (Por) 71 69, M Simonsen (Den) 71 69, R Enoch (Wal) 71 69, C Braeunig (Ger) 72 68, B Rusch (Sui) 72 68, N Kristensen (Den) 74 66, M Lampert (Ger) 75 65

141 L Scalise (Ita) 68 73, J Lando Casanova (Fra) 68 73, M Eggenberger (Sui) 68 73, S Del Val (Esp) 69 72, Michael Hoey (NIr) 69 72, J Fahrbring (Swe) 69 72, E De La Riva (Esp) 70 71, J Glennemo (Swe) 71 70, R Van West (Ned) 71 70, A Plant (Eng) 71 70, D Kemmer (USA) 71 70, G King (Eng) 74 67

142 P Angles (Esp) 70 72, E Ferguson (Sco) 70 72, A Zemmer (Ita) 70 72, U Coussaud (Fra) 71 71, M Baldwin (Eng) 72 70

143 R Kakko (Fin) 70 73, M Habeler (Aut) 72 71, M Fenasse (Fra) 73 70

144 C Ross (Sco) 67 77, Niall Kearney (Irl) 70 74, M Manassero (Ita) 72 72, M Ovesen (Den) 73 71, J Quesne (Fra) 74 70, P Edberg (Swe) 75 69

145 S Henry (Sco) 65 80, C Howie (Sco) 68 77, B Moore (Eng) 69 76, M Haastrup (Den) 70 75, O Hundeboll (Den) 70 75

146 B Virto (Esp) 72 74, E Cuartero Blanco (Esp) 72 74, Gavin Moynihan (Irl) 75 71, A Ahokas (Fin) 75 71

147 G Stal (Fra) 71 76, C Berardo (Fra) 72 75, K Koivu (Fin) 72 75, J Kaske (Fin) 76 71

148 D Borda (Esp) 71 77, M Decottignies-Lafon (Fra) 73 75, C Bleier (Am) (Aut) 73 75, L Astl (Aut) 74 74, M Lechner (Am) (Aut) 75 73

149 Robin Dawson (Irl) 73 76

152 F Nilehn (Swe) 73 79, J Kahlos (Fin) 74 78, J Sandborg (Swe) 76 76,

153 A Hidalgo (Esp) 79 74

155 S Wittmann (Aut) 78 77

WD G Folk (Aut) 76 WD