Defending champion Thriston Lawrence produced a spectacular stretch of six consecutive birdies before pulling off a brilliant par save from a bunker, a sequence that propelled him to the top of the leaderboard at the halfway point of the Omega European Masters. The South African is now positioning himself to follow in the footsteps of the late great Seve Ballesteros, a legend who remains the only player to have won this event three times since it became a DP World Tour tournament in 1972, achieving the feat in 1977, 1978 and 1989. Lawrence, who captured the Crans‑sur‑Sierre title in 2022 and defended it last season, now has a realistic chance of matching Ballesteros' remarkable record. On Friday, Lawrence posted a flawless, bogey‑free round of 63, which is seven strokes under par.
That performance lifted him to a total of 13 under for the tournament, granting him a comfortable two‑shot lead over Germany's Jeremy Paul and Spain's Ignacio Elvira, both of whom posted a round‑of‑the‑day 62. The competition will continue into the weekend with the Swiss Alps providing a stunning backdrop for the final two rounds.
Trailing Lawrence, Japan's Keita Nakajima sits in fourth place at 10 under par, while England's Paul Casey shares fifth place with two other competitors, each sitting at nine under after 36 holes. Casey's fellow Englishman, Harry Hall, was a bright spot early in his second round, reaching 10 under through a front‑nine surge that featured five birdies and a remarkable 30‑stroke front nine.
Unfortunately, a lingering hip injury forced Hall to stumble later, resulting in three bogeys on his final five holes and dropping him back to seven under, now six shots off the lead. Lawrence's round began steadily at the 10th tee, where he made par on five of his first six holes, punctuated by a birdie at the 13th.
The momentum truly shifted on the 16th when a superb tee shot set up a tap‑in birdie. The 29‑year‑old continued to add strokes on the following five holes, highlighted by a dramatic 40‑plus‑foot putt on the first and an impressive chip‑in from off the green on the second. Although he could not add more birdies in the final third of his round, he demonstrated his short‑game prowess by saving par on the fifth hole with a sand‑wedge chip that found the hole – his second attempt from the bunker after an initial putter try fell short.
After the round, Lawrence reflected on his recent form, noting that he had not secured a top‑10 finish since March. "I've played well all year. I've just been unfortunate so many times, missing the cut by one shot four or five times.
I feel like I've been playing well, but mentally, I'm in a much better space," he said. He added that seeing his birdies drop and his putts roll in boosted his confidence, especially returning to a venue he loves.
Jeremy Paul posted a six‑under 64 in the second round, featuring six birdies and an eagle, five of which came on his back nine, with a crucial birdie on the final hole that helped him stay within striking distance of the leader. Ignacio Elvira, who was runner‑up to Joe Dean at the British Masters the week before, recorded an eight‑under round on Friday, mixing nine birdies with just one bogey. He also chipped in for birdies on the third and ninth holes, delivering his best DP World Tour round since July 2023.
The tournament will continue with round three broadcast live on Sky Sports Golf starting at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, followed by the final round on Sunday at 11 a.m.
on the same channel. Golf enthusiasts can also stream the action contract‑free via NOW, which offers a broader selection of top‑level sports content.
For those looking to experience the game firsthand, special rates are available for booking a round at any of the 1,700 courses across the United Kingdom and Ireland. Simply enter a course name, city, or postal code to find the best deals. If no results appear, try adjusting the search terms for a more accurate match.