Staff WriterThe Dutch Futures is shaping up to be a weekend worth watching, with Portugal’s Pedro Figueiredo and America’s Palmer Jackson trading birdies, bogeys, and a few lucky prayers to share the lead heading into Saturday.
Both men sit at seven under par, a single stroke clear of the pack, after a second round that asked plenty of questions and punished anyone who tried to bluff their way around The Dutch.
Figueiredo, a 34-year-old with a Road to Mallorca ranking that suggests he’s been grinding away longer than a millstone, posted a five-under 66 to haul himself into pole position.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing—two early bogeys had him wobbling like a shopping trolley with a dodgy wheel—but a ten-foot par saver at the second kept his round afloat.
“I’ve been playing really well for a while, but the scores are only showing up lately so definitely trying to build on last week’s performance in Finland,” Figueiredo said, before adding the kind of understatement only golfers can get away with.
“It’s not easy out there and it’s a tough golf course. I actually got off to a tough start and holed a ten-foot putt on the second to avoid going two over after two. After that I started holing some good putts and kind of got in the zone.”
For a man perched 41st in the rankings, there’s more than pride at stake. A strong weekend at the Dutch Futures could be the ticket to the DP World Tour—a promotion worth every bead of sweat he’s left on the practice range.
Meanwhile, Palmer Jackson looked every bit the confident 24-year-old on a tear. Starting from the back nine, he peeled off four birdies in six holes, turned in 32, and then sprinkled in two more on the way home for a tidy 65.
For a man who already has one HotelPlanner Tour trophy on the mantelpiece from June’s Raiffeisenbank Golf Challenge, this is familiar territory.
“I hit a lot of good shots,” Jackson said with the casual confidence of someone who knows he did more than that. “It’s a challenging golf course but if you have good ball control it gives you an advantage.
You have to hit good shots around here; you can’t fake it. There’s too much trouble lurking that can bite you. Focussing, staying present and hitting good shots is key.”
This is a lad who’s clearly not allergic to winning. Jackson likened his round to earlier success in the Czech Republic, noting: “This round felt similar to the second round I had at Kaskada.
It’s a different week but I think they’re similar golf courses where you have to execute. I feel confident that my good is good and that’s what I am focusing on.
If someone beats me, that’s fine, I am just trying to go out there and do my best.”
Behind the leading duo, Daniel van Tonder of South Africa and Scotland’s Euan Walker are prowling on six under, while a motley crew of France’s Andoni Etchenique, Germany’s Anton Albers, England’s Callan Barrow, and Julien Sale of France all sit another shot back. Ireland’s Liam Nolan and England’s Will Enefer are hanging about at four under, still within earshot if the leaders falter.
The third round of the Dutch Futures kicks off at 8:32 am local time. The main event pairing—Figueiredo, Jackson, and Van Tonder—will head out at 1:00 pm, and with the leaderboard tighter than a tax inspector’s smile, Saturday promises fireworks.
