On the day that Joost Luiten leads in his home tournament on The European Tour, Daan Huizing was gunning for double Dutch glory on the Challenge Tour at the Kharkov Superior Cup as he moved right into contention for a second title in as many tournaments.
That moved him to within one shot of leader Sihwan Kim, whose six shot margin at the top after the second round was trimmed significantly after the Korean fell to a three over par 75.
Huizing, who beat former Ryder Cup player Oliver Wilson in a play-off to win the Northern Ireland Challenge Presented by Clannah and XJET two weeks ago, will play in the final group once more, this time alongside Kim.
“Before, I was really working towards getting closer to that win because I felt like I had it in me and every week I felt I was getting closer,” said the Soest man. “Since the win in Northern Ireland, I've made the jump up the Rankings and it helps to make you more relaxed. It’s also been a really good, chilled week here.”
Huizing’s incredible record since his professional debut on the Challenge Tour in June - one win, four more top fives and two more top 20 finishes in seven appearances – is remarkably similar to that of one of the tour’s most successful graduates Martin Kaymer, who won twice in just eight appearances in 2006, with four more top fives and two more top 15s.
While he does have his sights set on reaching the level of the 2010 US PGA Championship winner and Ryder Cup hero, Huizing knows he has a long way to go and is just thoroughly enjoying his time on the Challenge Tour for now.
“I don’t really think about those things and I don’t think I should be compared with any of those guys because they are so much further ahead than me,” he said.
“The path is different for everybody and you can be playing well and climbing up to things like Majors and Ryder Cups, but suddenly you could be back to the Challenge Tour again and starting over so there are never any guarantees in this game.
“It’s going very well now but it’s a very long road upwards so I try not to stay still and look around to see how it’s going. I just want to keep moving forward.
“Of course Ryder Cups and Majors are the things you watch on TV as a kid, it’s what you dream of and what you work for, but it’s still a long way away from me.”
