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Colm Moriarty of Team Ireland is the best of the Irish trio at the Roma Golf Open 2010 presented by REZZA after a second round 69 to make the halfway stage on two under – nine shots adrift of the leaders on 11 under.
Matt Haines of England and Denmark’s Andreas Hartø have set the pace on 11 under par with the Englishman holing a 70 foot eagle putt on the ninth hole, his last, to put the seal on a round of 67 which included birdies at the eighth and tenth holes.
Hartø burst onto the scene with victory whilst still an amateur at the ECCO Tour Championship earlier in the season and showed the win was no flash in the pan as he added a round of 65 to his opening 66 to join Haines at the top of the leader board.
The 21 year old, who cut short his scholarship at Texas State University to turn professional in the aftermath of his stunning triumph in Germany, is merely using the next two weeks to help develop his game ahead of his first full Challenge Tour campaign next year.
After a round of 67 another rising star of the game, Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, is in a share of third place on nine under par alongside Frenchman Adrien Bernadet and Italian Marco Crespi.
Crespi, who recently took first place at the First Qualifying Stage – Section D at Bogogno, has featured predominantly on the Alps Tour this season, but proved he could more than hold his own on the Challenge Tour by opening his round of 64 with six successive birdies.
Gary Murphy is projected to be on the cut mark with a one under par total - after a second round 71 – and will miss out on the next two days play.
Niall Kearney of Team Ireland is out – despite a second round 71 - following his opening day 77 to finish on 6 over par.
