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Recap: Day Two at the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final


By import service

Birdies galore on the second day of the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final, where the course record fell and a German led the way. Here's what you might have missed.


Fishing boat


<strong><span style="font-size: 18px;">Pep's putting practice</span></strong>



Three players shared the first round lead on six under par. James Heath, needing a good week to climb into the top 16 from his current 18th place, Matthieu Pavon and Pep Angles were all in the last group out as co-leaders, and it was Pep's one-handed putting practice that caught the eye.


<strong><span style="font-size: 18px;">Germans galore</span></strong>



Ultimately round two would end with a German on top of the leaderboard, but for much of the day it was Alex Knappe and Sebastian Heisele who looked to be the likely lads.


Knappe is already assure of a European Tour card but Heisele needs to finish in the top two, and birdies like this one have kept him in the hunt. His six under round of 66 leaves him five shots back in a tie for sixth at the halfway point.


<strong><span style="font-size: 18px;">Swedest thing</span></strong>



Jens Dantorp and Oman is almost as good a match as the Swede and his girlfriend, on his bag again this week after they teamed up for a top ten finish here 12 months ago.


Dantorp is 41st in the Rankings, so nothing less than a win will do this week for a top 16 spot and a European Tour card, but a fine 65 puts him in range, 11 under par overall and just two shots back.



<strong><span style="font-size: 18px;">Bjӧrk's broken record</span></strong>



​The round of the day - in fact, the round of any day at Al Mouj Golf - went to Alexander Bjӧrk, Dantorp's compatriot, who played flawless golf throughout, making nine birdies for a 63. He is already certain of a European Tour card next year, but with the pressure off, and a Challenge Tour win to his name, he is playing his best golf this week and sits second on 12 under par.


<strong><span style="font-size: 18px;">Hammer time</span></strong>



Another man with the pressure off is Bernd Ritthammer, who couldn't quite match Bjӧrk's round but signed for an excellent 64 and a one-shot halfway lead on 13 under par.


The German has won twice on the Challenge Tour this season, and though he can't top the Rankings, a third win would take him into a higher category, so there's all to play for over the coming days.


<strong><span style="font-size: 18px;">What it all means</span></strong>


A leaderboard.



And, perhaps more importantly, a Rankings prediction. Still so long to go, but James Heath is the big mover so far, taking a top 16 spot at the expense of Joel Stalter.