Martin Kaymer and Maximilian Kieffer were looking forward to entertaining the home crowds over the weekend after playing themselves right into contention at the BMW International Open.
Kaymer drew the biggest crowds on day two, carding an impressive 68 to get within two shots of leader Scott Hend, and fellow German Kieffer carded a 69 to also sit at four under.
Kaymer's victory in 2008 remains the only home victory in an event that has been part of the European Tour International Schedule since 1989 but that could change on Sunday, with Nicolai von Dellingshausen and Jonas Kolbing also making it through to the weekend.
“I don't know if the crowds get much bigger than they did today,” said Kaymer. “Today we played Friday afternoon and a lot of people I'm sure they came out after work to support us.
“It was nice that Max was in front of me, they didn't need to walk far to see both of us.”
Kieffer added: “It's nice for the tournament that there are German players up on the leaderboard. It would be nice to give the crowd something to cheer again tomorrow.”
Kaymer started birdie-bogey but then delighted the galleries with gains on the third, fifth and sixth before a 15-footer on the ninth saw him turn in 32. A poor tee-shot led to a bogey on the 12th but the two-time Major winner bounced back with a birdie on the 15th.
“I played very solid, I think I hit the ball better than yesterday,” he said. “I was in control of the ball flight, of the trajectory, which you really need in the wind.
“This morning I found a little something on the range, I got a little bit closer to the ball, that helped me today a lot. I created chances, made a couple of long putts early in the round and 68 is a good round today.”
Kieffer was one over for his round after ten holes and chipped in for a spectacular par on the 11th before rattling off four birdies in a row from the 12th.
“It was a little similar round like yesterday,” he said. “I hit it nice in the beginning but didn't really convert the chances and then got a little tired and lost the swing a little in the middle of the round. Then I chipped in for par on 11 and that gave me a kick-start and I played really, really well coming in.
“It was nice to hole some putts today. 13, where I didn't hit a great chip, it was nice to make that putt and then on 14 to hole a long putt, it's usually a lot of times the difference, one or two shots, to make one or two long putts.”
