Ricardo Gouveia stepped up his bid to become the first back-to-back winner on the European Challenge Tour since Kristoffer Broberg in 2012 after a six under par 66 in the D+D REAL Slovakia Challenge gave him a share of the halfway lead.
The Portuguese hotshot won the AEGEAN Airlines Challenge Tour hosted by Hartl Resorts last week in Germany and set the clubhouse target of nine under par early in the second round in Slovakia with a round featuring seven birdies.
He was joined by Swede Steven Jeppesen, whose seven under round of 65 was the joint best of the day, while first round leader Jack Doherty and Spaniards Borja Virto Astudillo and Luis Claverie were a shot further back on eight under par.
But the familiar presence of Gouveia at the top of the leaderboard is sure to catch the eye, the 23 year old already second in the Road to Oman Rankings and in imperious form.
“I played really well,” said the 23 year old. “My game is in a great place right now, I feel in good form. I’m driving the ball really well and I holed a few more putts today than usual too.
“Yesterday I lost a bit of concentration when some bad weather came in and I made a bogey and a double bogey, but I finished the round well which gave me some momentum today.
“I’ve now just got to keep on doing what I have been doing and keep focusing on the same goals and who knows what might happen this weekend.”
Jeppesen also brought good form to the Penati Golf Resort after finishing in a tie for fifth behind Gouveia in Germany and believes course knowledge is key to scoring well around the Legend Course.
“I’m feeling good, I played well,” he said. “I made a few putts which was nice, I’ve been really working on my putting and my driving and I’m now seeing some results.
“The greens here have quite severe undulations but if you hit the ball well you can use the slopes and ridges – course knowledge has been useful and I’ve quickly learned where you can and cannot leave the ball.
“The course is excellent and the conditions are good as well but it’s too easy to tell what might happen this weekend with so many good players in the field.”
One of the more remarkable rounds of the day belonged to Austrian Florian Praegant, who began by birdieing his first seven holes before ultimately having to settle for a 68 to leave him six shots back.
Denmark’s Jeff Winther and England’s Paul Howard lie two shots off the lead on seven under, with a host of players well within striking distance on a course set up for low scoring and the weekend weather forecast fine.
