Dutch Open: Matt Wallace two shots off the lead; Li Haotong cards nine-under 63 in second round | Golf News

Lia Haotong cards eight birdies and an eagle during a nine-under 63 on day two of Dutch Open; Chinese player goes through front nine in just 29 shots; Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia leads Li by one shot – watch day three live on Sky Sports Golf from 12.30pm, Saturday

Matt Wallace carded a five-under 67 to move two shots off the lead at the halfway stage of the Dutch Open

England’s Matt Wallace moved into contention at the halfway stage of the Dutch Open as he chases a first tour victory since 2018.

A five-under 67 on day two gave Wallace a halfway total of eight under par, leaving him two shots behind Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia, whose 66 late in the day saw him take a one-shot lead over China’s Li Haotong.

Li had earlier climbed 70 places on the leaderboard thanks to a superb nine-under 63 which included an eagle and eight birdies and a front nine – the back nine of the course – of just 29 shots.

Wallace came into the week having missed the cut in eight of his last nine starts and without a win since making an impressive – if ultimately unsuccessful – case for a Ryder Cup wild card in 2018 with three victories in 15 events.

The 32-year-old, whose second round contained six birdies and a bogey, said: “I have had a really good mental attitude this week.

“It is all about executing the shot for me – the swing, seeing it and executing it. (It’s about) positivity, not talking bad about myself or a shot; putting more energy into the good shots rather than the bad shots,

“If you hit a bad shot, you are allowed to let that frustration out but then don’t give it any energy or any thought.”

Li said: “Obviously I had a hot start, my putting was very hot. I holed a lot of long putts and the game has been slowly coming back.

“With this course, if you are off a little bit, it’s so easy to have a bogey, so today I put every ball in safer places and created a lot of birdie chances from there.

“I need to be myself and stay calm, and hopefully I can shoot another couple of rounds like this.”

Joost Luiten, seeking a third victory in his home tournament, was the overnight leader after a first-round 65 but shot 10 strokes more on Friday to drop off into a share of 19th place.

Watch day three of the Dutch Open live on Sky Sports Golf from 12.30pm on Saturday.

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