Moving day at the European Mid-Amateur (25+) Championships got off to a sunny but cold start at Jurmala Golf & Hotel in Latvia.
The second of three rounds of stroke play was contested alongside strong winds on the coast of the Gulf of Riga.
Round 1 leader in the men’s championship, Markus Habeler (AUT), extended his advantage on day two. The Austrian, who narrowly missed out on setting a new course record on Thursday with a 66 (-6), carded a steady 1-under-par 71 on Friday.
The 31-year-old finished the day as the only man under par, after all six other players in red numbers following round 1 dropped shots in the wind. He’ll take a staggering seven-stroke advantage into Saturday’s final 18 holes.
The leader’s playing partner in the first two rounds, Oscar Sanchez Jubindo (ESP), is also the man closest to him on the scoreboard. He’ll join Habeler in the ultimate group on Saturday after a round of 70 (-2) propelled him 16 places up the leaderboard into a tie for second place on a score of level par.
Christopher Dlaska (AUT) will complete the final three-ball, although he might be disappointed with his day’s work. Starting the round four-under-par, the Austrian was unable to make a birdie in round 2 with four bogeys on the card. The 76 (+4) brought him back to level par for the tournament and tied for second place.
Habeler’s advantage may be too much to catch with just 18 holes to play, but the battle for the men’s podium is poised for an exciting finish. Eleven players are within two shots of second place, and 25 within five strokes of a medal finish.
Despite also having no change in leader from the first round, the ladies’ championship is much tighter at the top than the men’s.
Pauline Stein followed up her opening 71 (-1) with a level-par 72 to remain the only women’s player in red numbers and will take a one-stroke advantage into Saturday’s final 18.
Jessica Ross (IRL) had the most successful moving day of the top-10. The Golf Ireland player gained six positions with the lowest round of the day, a three-under-par 69, to move into second position and within one shot of Stein. Having lost out on the title in a playoff last year, Ross will be hoping to go one better on Saturday.
A second Irish player will complete the final three-ball of the ladies’ championship. Aideen Walsh is just two shots back from the leader after a rollercoaster one-under-par 71 which featured six birdies and five bogeys.
Saturday’s final round will not only see players compete for the European titles but also spots in the European Amateur and Ladies’ Amateur Championships, and U.S. Mid-Amateur Championships which are on offer for the winners.
