ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics - Day two digest

Everything you need to know from day two in Northern Ireland.

Brilliant Brown bullies Galgorm

Daniel Brown carded the lowest round of his DP World Tour career on Thursday and he stormed ahead with an equally impressive 66 at Galgorm in round two. He achieved his first PGA TOUR top ten last time out at the Barbasol Championship and he certainly maintained that momentum in Northern Ireland. The 28-year-old mixed four birdies with three bogeys on his front nine, but a stunning run of three birdies in four holes from the second - he lipped out another chance at the fourth - saw him lead by six shots from Spain's Angel Hidalgo and fellow Englishman Alex Fitzpatrick.

Hill nearly holes out

Calum Hill squeezed into the weekend thanks to a birdie at the last in Galgorm. He carded two double bogeys and four dropped shots in his five over 75. However, he produced one of the shots of the day from the rough at the second to card the first of three gains.

A game of two rounds

Tom McKibbin looked like he was going to endure an early exit from Northern Ireland when he carded a eight over 78 on Thursday at Galgorm. However, he fought back with a stunning 65 - the lowest round of the day - at Castlerock to make the weekend in Northern Ireland. The 20-year-old home favourite, who won at the 2023 European Porsche Open in June, carded seven birdies and a solitary dropped shot climb to two over par - two strokes above the cut line - at the halfway point of the tournament.

Mansell's magical run

Richard Mansell was hoping to make the weekend after battling to three over in the first round and even he may have doubted he could do it when he began Friday with back-to-back bogeys at the ninth and tenth. But the 28-year-old had other ideas when he got hot with a birdie at the 14th. An eagle at the next was followed by a birdie at the 16th and after parring his way to the turn, Mansell started his back nine with four straight gains to make it eight under in a nine hole stretch. The run was halted with a dropped shot at the fifth as he reached the clubhouse at two under par.

Galgorm proves testing on Friday

Conditions were certainly difficult in the second round of the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour event, especially at Galgorm where only two players managed to break par on Friday. American Alexa Pano led the way with a two-under 70, recording three birdies and only one bogey, while Germany's Sophie Witt carded a birdie at the last to join the exclusive group. Scoring was at a premium as only seven players across the two courses finished under par for the day, with Spaniard Ana Pelaez Trivino producing the round of the day with a 70 at Castlerock which entertained an eagle, four birdies, a dropped shot and a double bogey.

Lovely Law approach

Despite the difficulties of Galgorm, Bronte Law showed her quality with her wedges with this brilliant bunker shot.