Matti Schmid carded a flawless nine-under-par 63 to share the lead after the conclusion of the second round of the Barbasol Championship on Saturday morning.
The 24-year-old, who was named last season’s DP World Tour Rookie of the Year, started the round at 6:14pm on Friday evening after delays totalling nearly five-and-a-half hours at Keene Trace Golf Club.
The German carded five birdies before play was suspended and he resumed his round at 8:30am. He leapt up the leaderboard with three consecutive birdies from the 13th hole and then rolled in his ninth birdie of the round on the 17th to move to 16 under and share the 36-hole lead with Max McGreevy.
“Obviously I’m very pleased,” said Schmid. “We had perfect conditions last night and very good conditions this morning and I'm glad I could take advantage of those.
“I hit a great shot on 11 which was my comeback shot this morning and three-putted that and missed a short birdie putt on the next, but I managed to stay calm and played very well my way in here.
“I think I have put myself in a lot of good positions this year over the weekend and I think I've learned a lot already. I think I have a good chance this week to capitalise on those experiences.”
Also returning to finish his second round on Saturday morning was 2015 Challenge Tour Number One Ricardo Gouveia. The 30-year-old, from Portugal, had eight holes still to play when he returned to the course and finished his round with two birdies and an eagle to sign for a seven-under-par 65, joining last night’s clubhouse leader Adam Svensson on 15 under.
I think I have put myself in a lot of good positions this year over the weekend and I think I've learned a lot already. I think I have a good chance this week to capitalise on those experiences - Matti Schmid
“I played again very solid and yeah, yesterday finished well and today kept it going, which was really nice,” said the five-time Challenge Tour winner. “I knew I was going to play nine, ten holes when I got out yesterday, so mentally I was prepared for that. Luckily I came back (this morning) and made a few more birdies.”
Trey Mullinax and Kevin Streelman shared fifth place on 14 under, while Tyler Duncan was a stroke further back in seventh place.
The next-best placed DP World Tour member was Frenchman Robin Roussel, who shared eighth after his second round of 68, which he completed on Friday.
