Lindell's head held up well in a tough spot – a birdie on the last hole sealed his place in the next round
Oliver Lindell took control in the second round and sealed his place for the weekend with a birdie on the last hole. His current total score of -1 is enough to share 46th place, with the afternoon starters still to play.
The Porvoo native improved by three strokes from yesterday, and birdie opportunities opened up at a different pace than in the first round. However, Lindell was not entirely satisfied with his performance, even though he was happy to have "secured" his place in the next round. If he had made par on the last hole, his fate would have been in the hands of others.
"It wasn't that different from yesterday, but today I didn't hit any bad shots. I mainly missed shots to the right, but my short game and especially my putting were on point again, even though a few shots may have stayed on the green. In any case, I'm heading in the right direction," said Lindell.
Although his ranking will drop to around 50th, a top 20 finish is only a few strokes away, and a place in the top ten is still within reach. The Finn's baseline level has risen to a point where even weaker shots will secure him a place in the next round. If the putter stays hot and the swing returns to its basic level, a brilliant ranking is very possible.
"There are good opportunities to move up here, and the course is getting harder every day. Today was just as I expected, with the greens being quite soft in the front nine but hardening up in the back nine as the sun beat down on them. The up and down from 80 metres on the last hole sealed my place for the weekend, after which lunch will taste a little better when I don't have to worry about the evening."
England's Dan Bradbury played at the top with a score of -2 and still leads the competition with a total score of -8. Tapio Pulkkasen's place in the next round is still in his own hands on the last few holes, as he is just on the cut line with a score of par and has two holes left to play. Advancing would be vital for Pulkkasen, as his last five competitions have resulted in MC.