Former Ryder Cup player Oliver Wilson carded the lowest score of his career after the Englishman’s stunning ten under par second round of 62 launched him to the top of the leaderboard midway through the Norwegian Challenge.
While Wilson has never won on the European circuit, he has recorded nine runner-up finishes on The European Tour but he took one step closer to that elusive victory as he signed for a second bogey-free round at Byneset GK, near Trondheim.
The 31 year old got off to a flyer, birdieing four of the first five holes before another gained shot at the eighth helped him reach the turn in five under par.
After another birdie at the 12th, Wilson did admit that, midway through a run of four successive birdies starting at the 14th, the magic number of 59 did flash through his mind but despite not making it into that prestigious club, he was delighted with the round.
“I just played great,” said Wilson, who has been on consistent form recently on both tours, recording two top 20 finishes in his last two European Tour appearances. “There are a few tees up today and I drove it well and was in play from every tee, which helps.
“My iron play has been good and I putted well. Even though the course has been reduced in length slightly after the rain, you still have to hole putts and you feel like you’re under pressure to do so because everyone will be shooting low scores but I did everything I needed to do.
“At one point I was thinking about the magic number, with the par five 17th coming up, but I counted it all up and realised I had run out of holes. I had a 15 footer for eagle at 17 but even if that went in I’d have had to have an eagle at the (par four) last so bit of a shame but it’s the closest I've ever come.
“It’s my lowest round as a pro so happy days. I really didn’t hit a bad shot so I'm happy with that.”
One shot further back was Kristoffer Broberg, who boosted his hopes of a second win in as many weeks as he briefly held a two shot clubhouse lead.
The Swede claimed a surprise maiden victory at the Finnish Challenge last week in just his second appearance on the European Challenge Tour, winning by an impressive six shots.
Having carded a bogey-free, five under par opening round of 67, the 26 year old’s purple patch continued as he came storming out of the blocks in the second round, opening with a birdie at the par five first hole before gaining another shot at the third.
Three consecutive birdies from the sixth hole then meant he steamed into the lead on five under for the day through 11 holes and an eventful finish, in which he birdied five of the last seven holes and bogeyed the other two, left him one shot back.
“I played really good all day,” said Broberg, who has won two Nordic League events in Norway in the past two years. “I hit a lot of fairways, the course played short so I had a lot of wedge shots and I hit them close and made plenty of putts.
“I don’t think there was any pressure after last week because my game is good at the moment so it was just a case of continuing that.
“This is the best form I've ever been on in my life. I've just been practicing a lot. I didn’t change my swing or anything recently it was just a case of hard work and it seems to be paying off now. I feel confident at the moment.”
Andrew McArthur was three shots back in third place after the Scotsman signed for a second successive five under par round of 67 to move to ten under for the tournament.
The afternoon starters were still out on the course after heavy overnight rain caused a two hour delay for all starting times.
