D+D REAL Czech Masters - Day two digest

David Ravetto and Andrew Johnston set records, Connor Syme explored every inch of the hole and Adri Arnaus took the scenic route to level par on day two of the 2024 D+D REAL Czech Masters.

Here is everything you need to know from Friday at PGA National OAKS Prague.

Victory on the cards for Ravetto

David Ravetto gave his bid to retain his DP World Tour card a shot in the arm with a joint course record 63 to lead by one shot on 13 under par from Andrew Johnston, Jesper Svensson and Richie Ramsay. “I'm really happy to be here, but the main goal for me was just to enjoy myself being here,” said the Frenchman. “It's my second year playing with Q School category and it can be tough on the mind not knowing, especially at the end of the year where you’re going to get in and you really want to keep that card.”

Beef is back

Andrew “Beef” Johnston is one of the DP World Tour’s most popular figures and a career resurgence this season continued with a course record 63 which was soon matched by Ravetto. “It's always good to shoot that score round any golf course,” said Johnston after his 10 birdies. “Course record, you’ve still got to play well and hit the shots. I was really steady today, but the difference was the putts dropped. Having a break's been quite good and coming out and feeling fresh and making a few adjustments has been good and I'm looking forward to this long run coming up.”

Arnaus’ adventure

A simple glance at the leaderboard will show you Adri Arnaus made the cut with two strokes to spare after a level-par round of 72.

A more detailed look will show you Arnaus made the cut with two eagles, three birdies, five bogeys and a double, including a six-two sequence on successive par fours as two trips to native areas and one to a bunker on the 14th were followed by a 151-yard hole-out on the next.

Mixed fortunes for Syme

The hole giveth…

…and the hole taketh away.

Rising to the Challenge

Brandon Robinson Thompson won last week’s Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by the R&A on the Challenge Tour and hailed its role in preparing him for a repeat bid this week. Robinson Thompson is two shots off the lead on 11 under, alongside Espen Kofstad, and said: “The Challenge Tour does a great job of mirroring the DP, in a way, but also just helping develop your game week to week. It’s a great place to develop and showcase your talent when you are playing well - and when opportunities like this come around it’s great to come and do the same.”

A sprinkling of luck

Nacho Elvira was far from happy with his approach to the seventh - until it spun off the sprinklers and tracked straight for the hole.