Another fantastic display of golf gave Christian Nilsson a healthy five shot lead at the end of the second round of the Telia Challenge Waxholm, leaving the Swede with the perfect opportunity to secure his maiden European Challenge Tour victory this weekend.
Like his first round 66, Nilsson managed his way round the Waxholm Golf Club brilliantly, capitalising at every one of the par 73 course’s four par fives to post a second round of six under par 67 that moved him to 13 under par on the leaderboard - ? shots clear of second placed Julien Van Hauwe of France.
Nilsson started the day perfectly, birdieing the first hole before picking up an eagle three at the par five second. He picked up another two strokes on the front nine to turn in five under 32, then consolidated his position at the head of the field by coming home in one under 35 to take control of the tournament.
Van Hauwe, who started the day a shot behind Nilsson, picked up two shots during his second round 71, while his countryman Jean-Baptiste Gonnet, Norway’s Morten Hagen and Jeppe Huldhal of Denmark all matched Nilsson’s 67 to join Irishman David P Jones, Tomas Tuovinen of Finland and the Australian John Wade on six under 140.
Nilsson won on the Third Level Nordic League last week and is hoping to continue his winning streak in order to fulfil his long term ambition of joining his great friend, Pelle Edberg, on The European Tour.
“I played much the same way today as I had done yesterday. I picked up shots on all the par fives and my game was in good shape again. I am driving the ball very well and the putting stroke has been excellent so far this week, so I am scoring well.
“I know a lot of the Swedish players on the Challenge Tour, and I am very good friends with Pele Edberg who is now playing on The European Tour.
“I have played in a lot of tournaments with Pelle and it was great to see him getting onto The Tour. His example is the one that I would like to follow – I would love to be able to join him on Tour one day.”
If Nilsson can continue his outstanding form at the Waxholm Golf Club he will have every opportunity to join Edberg on European golf’s biggest stage.
Victory this weekend would ensure the Swede Category One Membership of the Challenge Tour for the next 12 months, which would give him the chance to try and break into the top 20 on the Rankings before the end of the season or have a full season on the 2006 Challenge Tour to achieve his ultimate ambition.
He will have to maintain the low scoring feats of his opening two rounds, as the chasing pack will not give up the hunt until the final putt has dropped on Sunday afternoon.
