Italian Open presented by Regione Emilia-Romagna - Day two digest

Everything you need to know from day two at Adriatic Golf Club Cervia.

Gunner Wiebe continued a spectacular return to form, Andrew 'Beef' Johnston was back with his number one fan for company and Danny Willett provided insight into the routine of a Masters Tournament winner.

Here is everything you need to know from Friday in Ravenna.

Wiebe finds his form

Gunner Wiebe enjoyed a remarkable return to form to hold the halfway lead. The 35-year-old American was a runner-up at the 2023 Betfred British Masters presented by Sir Nick Faldo, but in the 12 months since then he had made only seven cuts on the DP World Tour with a best finish tied for 41st. Three birdies and a single bogey saw Wiebe card a second round of 69 in Milano Marittima to reach nine under for the week. “I don’t think any of us had the chance to play boring,” he said. “The conditions were really tough. The course is starting to firm up quite a bit. You just have to pay attention. There’s not really a shot where you can - I don’t want to say mail it in – but you have to be on your mental side from the get-go with how tricky the wind was. Arguably, I might have played better today than yesterday. You can judge by score, sure, but I think the way I played today was a bit sharper.”

De Bruyn accepts Italian job on short notice

Jannik de Bruyn made the most of his late call-up by taking the clubhouse lead midway through the second round. The 24-year-old Qualifying School graduate was expecting to tee up on the European Challenge Tour in France this week before being informed on Tuesday that he had made it into the field. The German has made the most of the opportunity, posting consecutive rounds of 67 to lie second. “I got a call on Tuesday actually; I was in France at the Challenge Tour event and I got a call to say I was in the field here,” he said. “I was just looking forward to it. It was a bit stressful. I only played nine holes in a practice round. I just enjoy teeing it up here every chance that I get, it’s nice.”

Beef back on the menu

Andrew Johnston is playing only his fourth DP World Tour event in two seasons after undergoing two rounds of surgery, but the ever-popular Englishman showed few signs of rust as a 68 took him to five under and inside the top ten. That sort of form was also enough to please his biggest fan...

Willett provides insight into routine

Ever wondered what it takes to become a Major champion? Well, based on Danny Willett's routine, cycling, stretching and raking bunkers are all part of the preparations.

So near, yet so far

Junior Ryder Cup player Giovanni Binaghi made a superb chip-in at the 16th, but missed the cut after lipping out at the next.