Andy DevaneyThe Danish Golf Championship has a pair of record-breakers at its summit after Cameron Adam answered Antoine Rozner’s eight-under 64 with a nine-under 63 at Great Northern, birdieing the water-guarded 18th to share the 36-hole lead on 11 under. Course records rarely enjoy long retirements in professional golf; this one barely had time to sit down.
Adam turns Friday into a career marker
Félix Mory had established the course record with a 65 in round one. Rozner lowered it on Friday, then Adam arrived later and removed another stroke from the number.
The 23-year-old Scot made nine birdies without a bogey. His iron play did much of the work through the middle of the round, but the finish supplied the theatre. After a poor tee shot at the driveable 16th and a three-putt at the par-five 17th slowed him, Adam sent his tee shot across the water at the last to six feet and converted.
“I’m pretty relieved. After getting the birdie on the last it feels pretty nice. I think the course was great and there was definitely something out there today as the wind was dropping at the end.”
“I didn’t think it was that easy, to be honest. Before I was teeing off today, I was saying to my caddie that the scoring is a lot better than I thought it would be, especially the conditions that I played in yesterday. There was a lot of wind. I felt it was quite tough and then I came off and started seeing the scores come in yesterday afternoon.”
“I was like, wow, guys are getting after it. When you see that you’ve got to go and be part of it. I was just kind of fortunate that a lot of things went my way today.”
“It’s probably the best in my professional career so far. There’s not that much to go off, kind of only turning pro at the end of last year. I’ve got to build off and I’m going to have a strong weekend.”
“It’s going to definitely be different and a first experience for me playing in one of the final groups on the DP World Tour. I’ve got to embrace it and go and see what happens.”
Rozner makes the quiet conditions pay
Rozner’s 64 was his lowest round of a season featuring three top tens but also two missed cuts immediately before this week. Starting on the tenth, the Frenchman made steady gains, dropped one shot at the 16th, and responded immediately. By the time he finished, 11 under looked a stern target. Adam treated it as an invitation.
“I just played good golf, holed a lot of putts as well. I think I took really good advantage of the low wind early on in the day. Just played very good.”
“I think tee shots are key out there on the course. It takes a good mental focus out there to stay in those shots because it is very challenging sometimes with all those water hazards around the fairway. I think if you stay very focused, you can just put a good score like that together.”
“I think playing in the United States teaches you a lot of things. I think being very strict with your targets on the second shot is key out there. Like the short sides are very brutal sometimes. I think it taught me a bit of discipline on the course amd mental focus. It was a great experience. I want to go back out for sure at some point, but hopefully as soon as possible.”
“I like when it’s windy. It was a great round but it doesn’t mean I’m going to play well this weekend. I think the game is in good shape. It’s always a good sign and I’m rolling it lovely.”
Ferguson heads the chasing pack
Ewen Ferguson is one shot back on ten under, with Julian Perico, Matthew Jordan, Romain Langasque, Brandon Stone and Caleb Surratt another stroke behind.
Perico also became the first Peruvian to make the cut in a DP World Tour event.
Bubba Watson and Chinese teenager Yanhan Zhou share ninth on eight under. Former champion and local favourite Rasmus Højgaard is among those at seven under with Filippo Celli, Todd Clements and Freddy Schott.
Race to Dubai pressure sharpens Adam’s weekend
For Adam, the leaderboard carries consequences beyond the pleasure of seeing his name at the top. He earned his DP World Tour card by leading last year’s Global Amateur Pathway Ranking, but has recorded one top ten, in Kenya, and sits 125th on the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World.
Starts may be limited on the Back 9, making this week and the Nexo Championship on home soil an important stretch. His 63 could also earn him $US30,000 from Nexo if nobody betters it by Sunday.
That is Sunday’s arithmetic. First comes the unfamiliar business of a final group and a Danish Golf Championship weekend in which Great Northern has already surrendered three course records in two days.
Adam has spent most of his fledgling professional career trying to earn a place in such company. On Friday, he arrived with a six-footer and no need to knock.
