Adrien Saddier moved into the halfway lead at the D+D REAL Czech Challenge after the Frenchman carded a stunning eight under par second round 64 to move to a 15 under total, one clear of Englishman Jordan L Smith.
The 24 year old has now carded 15 birdies in his opening two round and has negotiated the par fives in seven under at Golf and Spa Kunetická Hora, but the big difference on day two was the eradication of bogeys from his card, two of which tarnished his opening round.
This is my first time leading... I hope I sleep well tonight!
Teeing off at the tenth, Saddier birdied the 11th to set the ball rolling but his round did not really take flight until the 16th, when a trio of successive birdies helped him reach the turn in four under, before he replicated that score on the way home.
The former World Amateur Number Ten, who earned a European Tour card through Qualifying School while still an amateur in 2013 - before turning professional straight away - has never been in a leading position at the weekend in the paid ranks so he is relishing the prospect.
“This is my first time leading,” said Saddier. “We will see tomorrow and I hope I sleep well tonight. I have wanted to be in this position for a long time so I just need focus shot by shot and not focus on the end result, like I have done in the last few weekends.
“The round was a bit similar to the first day, I began very calmly - one under through six. Then I made three birdies in a row and that helped to grow my confidence. Then I played really well after the turn and the putter was really hot again so it was a very nice round.
“I had no fives on the card today so that’s always good. I’m three under on the par threes too. I hit a lot of good shots with my long irons and had some great putts so that helps.”
Having performed solidly in his rookie season on the European Tour two years ago, finishing 127th in the Race to Dubai to miss out on retaining his card, Saddier has been working hard on changing certain elements of his game and now he feels he seeing the fruits of that labour.
“My long game and putting are both great at the moment so I’m just enjoying it,” he said. “I had a disastrous season last year because I made a lot of changes with my new coach, but this year I worked really hard over the winter and I have started playing very well.
“I played Challenge Tour last year and just a few European Tour events, but when you change things in your swing it’s just a question of time. It’s slow progress so you just have to stay patient and work harder every day.
“I dreamt for a long time to be on the European Tour and it’s probably true that it came too soon for me - I was just an amateur at Q-School when I qualified. I played well and made a lot of cuts but I was just missing some experience.
“With the changes I have made I hit the ball better - I’m more confident with my long irons and I changed my game from a draw to a fade, which I think suits the European Tour better.”
Smith, meanwhile, remained within touching distance of the lead he held after the first round as he added a six under par second round 66 to his opening 64 to move to 14 under.
Having teed off at the first midway through the sunnier morning session, the 23 year old picked up from where he left off on day one with back to back birdies to start.
Things only got better from there for the former Walker Cup star as he picked up shots at the seventh, ninth, 16th and 17th to remain bogey-free for the week and stay in contention for a second title of the season.
“It always helps to open with two birdies,” said the winner of last month’s Red Sea Egyptian Challenge Presented by Hassan Allam Properties. “It eases any nerves but I hit it just as good as yesterday, only didn’t quite hole as many putts.
“I hit a lot of shots inside 15 feet and didn’t make a lot of them but I took my chances when I got them too. I guess there are always nerves when you’re leading but I was just going out there to enjoy the day because I like the course and I’m playing well.
“I just need to go out there again, shoot as many under as I can and enjoy it. I’ve had a really good plan of what I was going to do out on the course and I’ve stuck to it for the first two days - it’s worked, so I’ll just keep doing that.”
Andrea Pavan, the 2013 Challenge Tour Number One from Italy, was in a share of third place after a five under par 67, alongside Sweden’s Christofer Blomstrand, who carded the round of the day in Drítec – a nine under par 63 comprising eight birdies, an eagle and a bogey.
