Stephen Gallacher is finding form at the right time after moving into a share of the lead at the Spanish Open on 12-under-par.
The Press and Journal columnist, who sits 193rd in the DP World Tour rankings, is searching for a big week in his bid to keep his card.
The four-time winner on the tour shares the lead with England’s Paul Waring after successive rounds of 65.
Gallacher said: “It’s funny. I played pretty well the week before going into the Dunhill Links and then I worked hard with my coach and just found something at the Dunhill, where I played well in practice and all the way through.
“And I carried it on here, playing well in the pro-am and then for the first two days as well.
“You are always working to improve and we just worked on my backswing.
“It’s also been a different way of thinking as I’ve been working with my psychologist as well, just freeing myself up and just swinging at it.”
How it stands after 36 holes 📈#AccionaOpen
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) October 7, 2022
Fellow Scot David Drysdale is only one shot behind Gallacher and Waring. He is also in a fight to keep his card, sitting 176th in the order of merit with 117th the projected cut-off this season.
Drysdale is hoping his wife Vicky is well enough to be his caddie for the final two rounds.
He said: “My wife wasn’t feeling well on Thursday morning, but she was keen to caddie.
“She was sick three times on the way round, which was a shame, so she did well to get round.
“Today I had a local lad who was the club champion here a couple of years ago and he helped me round but hopefully Vicky will be back in action tomorrow.”
🚨 HOLE IN ONE! 🚨
Daniel Van Tonder with a walk off ace on his last hole of the day! 🎯#AccionaOpen pic.twitter.com/gfpUeQj1zq
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) October 7, 2022
Waring had been at the top of the leaderboard on his own for most of Friday after matching the low round of the week – a sizzling eight-under-par 63 with ten birdies and two bogeys at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.
Home favourite Jon Rahm is part of the chasing pack at 10-under – only two shots off the lead.
The Spaniard is looking to equal the late Seve Ballesteros’ haul of three victories at his home open (1981, 1985 and 1995) this week.
"Winning, as always. It's the only motivator." 💪@JonRahmpga has his eyes clearly set on claiming his third @accionaopen title. #AccionaOpen pic.twitter.com/SStiPW0zbr
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) October 7, 2022
Rahm said: “I played what I could say 11 uncomfortable holes and then I played really good golf on the last seven.
“From 12 on I played wonderful, it was very enjoyable. It seems to be the part of the golf course that I score on more often so I hope to get a little bit better on the front nine tomorrow.
“Winning, it is the only motivator. It is very easy to think about circumstances outside of myself, those can be tricky to manage if you can get out of it. I just have to focus on me, keep doing what I am doing, and take one shot at a time.”
Marc Warren (-7), Craig Howie (-3), David Law and Grant Forrest (both –2) were the other Scots to make the cut.
Stephen Gallacher: Important month ahead for me or Q School beckons
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