SDC Championship - Day two digest

Everything you need to know from day two at St. Francis Links.

More players used the slopes around the greens to their advantage while we saw some fine finishes in the second round of the 2024 SDC Championship.

Here is everything you need to know from day two at St. Francis Links.

Williams saves best for last

Robin Williams got his second round off to a steady start, mixing two birdies with two bogeys in his first 14 holes. He then produced late fireworks, carding an eagle and three birdies in his final four holes to move to eight under par and set the early clubhouse target. He was later overtaken at the summit by afternoon starter Daniel Brown, who led by three shots at the halfway stage. Speaking about his strong finish, Williams said: "It means everything. I made a costly bogey on the 14th - plugged in the bunker on the right. I actually made a good bogey. And then really kicked off on the 15th. I made a good birdie there and then took advantage of a very good drive and a short iron on the 16th. On the 17th I hit it to basically a foot and then the 18th was really, really good. It's playing super tough today, into off the left wind. I was just trying to keep it in play and give myself a chance and then things just started to click."

Brown's big finish

Starting from the tenth, Englishman Brown turned in 36 after carding three birdies, a double bogey and a bogey on his front side. He then sandwiched a bogey at the second between gains on the first and fourth before finishing with a flourish to leapfrog early clubhouse leaders Williams and Shaun Norris and give himself a healthy advantage at the top. After carding an eagle on the sixth, Brown reeled off birdies at the seventh and eighth to head into the weekend on 11 under par. He said: "I had a really good finish. I’ve played really good the last two days but something really clicked in that stretch where I kept hitting it close, which is nice."

Lucky or unlucky?

Whether this was lucky or not, we're sure there were no complaints as, with water all around, the ball somehow found dry land.

All change

With a switch in wind causing issues for many in the field, some said it felt like they were playing a different course from Thursday's opening round. First-round co-leader Norris, who shot a second-round 71 to sit in a tie for second place, said: "It was like a completely different course. Hitting, say for instance, gap wedge into the tenth yesterday, I'm hitting five iron in there today. So yeah, it was quite tough. You've got to have a lot of patience and just literally wait and wait. It's a waiting game to try and give yourself good opportunities for birdies. And hopefully when you do have good opportunities, try and convert them."

Was this planned?

When Nick Bachem used the hill around the green to his advantage on Thursday, we were left wondering whether or not it was planned. And with the slopes coming in handy yet again in round two, we're starting to think the players know exactly what they're doing...