Staff WriterSebastian Söderberg will carry a one-shot lead into the weekend at the weather-delayed KLM Open, although “carry” may be the polite word for it after a second day at The International that asked the field to play golf, wait, think, stretch, re-think, and then play some more.
The Swede reached eight under par before play was called shortly before 9.00pm, leaving him four holes to complete on Saturday morning. That small detail is not quite as comforting as it sounds. Early conditions in Amsterdam have generally had more bite than a startled terrier, and several contenders still have business to finish before round two can be properly filed away.
Söderberg sits one clear of New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier and Japan’s Yuto Katsuragawa, who are safely in the clubhouse, and the English pair of Joe Dean and Callum Tarren, who have two and five holes remaining respectively.
With some players facing as many as eight holes when play resumes at 7.15am, the third round is scheduled to begin no earlier than 10.00am from two tees. In other words, the KLM Open leaderboard is not so much settled as lightly pencilled in.
Söderberg Finds Form When He Needed It Most
Söderberg arrived in the Netherlands with little recent momentum to shout about, having finished outside the top 100 on the Race to Dubai in 2025 and made just two of his last eight cuts.
That, however, is the inconvenient thing about proven players. They do occasionally remember who they are.
The 35-year-old has already won on the DP World Tour and finished runner-up seven times, and through 14 holes on Friday evening he looked every inch the player capable of turning a soggy, awkward week into something rather more substantial.
Starting round two two shots off the lead, Söderberg edged his way in front with the sort of control that does not always announce itself loudly. No fireworks display. No chest-thumping. Just enough tidy work to move one clear before darkness and delay had the final say.
Hillier Grinds Through A Long Day
Hillier’s day began in slightly unglamorous fashion, sitting at one over par after completing only ten holes of his first round on day one. From there, he turned the day into a fine exercise in patience, rhythm and not falling asleep on his feet.
Birdies at the par-five 15th and 18th pulled him under par, before he made a flying start to round two. A smart approach at the 11th was followed by mid-range putts at the 12th and 13th, another gain at the 15th, and a tidy conversion from the fringe at the 17th.
Further progress came at the par-five third and par-three fourth, before his only dropped shot of the day arrived at the sixth.
Hillier admitted the volume of golf took its toll.
Daniel Hillier: “There was a lot of golf played today so I am a bit tired but played pretty stead all day. Today was a little bit easier than yesterday for sure, still not easy, but just good to play a shot on its merit, and I did that pretty well so proud of that.
“The swing felt nice and I holed a few putts. Just one of those days were I felt in sync with everything which was nice. A couple putts went in early, and it gave me some momentum for the day.
“(On the last two holes) I hit those about as far away from the face as you could, got away with a fat one on eight and I guess on nine as well, it wasn’t too bad in the end. I felt I was just getting a little bit tired towards the end of the day, a lot of golf as I said, so will get a nice rest this evening and hopefully come out firing tomorrow.”
There are days when golf is a chess match. This sounded more like moving house with a pitching wedge.
Katsuragawa Putts His Way Into Contention
Yuto Katsuragawa also had to make up ground after completing just six holes on day one in one over par. He quickly restored balance with a birdie on his first hole on Friday, then added further gains at the second and third.
His second round began with a bogey at the first, but the response was immediate. A sharp approach into the second steadied him, before he took advantage of both front-nine par fives to turn in 34.
Then came the surge. A hat-trick of birdies to open the back nine sent Katsuragawa climbing briskly through the field, and another gain at the 15th put him firmly in the weekend conversation. A dropped shot at the 17th checked the run, but not the wider impression.
Katsuragawa credited a hot putter, and an interesting recent influence.
Yuto Katsuragawa: “I am happy today, the long game not so much but I am putting very good.
“Last week, my good friend Kota Kaneko won and his putting style is a small stance and arm lock, so I have been trying a small stance, no arm lock, but I have been trying this as well. I was very happy for Kota last week and maybe it will be my time this week.”
Golfers will borrow anything that works: a putting grip, a pre-shot waggle, a superstition involving socks. Katsuragawa’s adjustment has at least brought him within striking distance at the KLM Open, which is rather the point.
Dean And Tarren Keep English Hopes Moving
Joe Dean had briefly moved alongside Söderberg after making four birdies and a bogey, only to slip back with a dropped shot on the sixth. He still has two holes to complete, which gives him a chance to repair the damage before the weekend properly begins.
Callum Tarren, meanwhile, made his own move with six birdies and a bogey across 13 holes. With five holes still remaining, he has the awkward privilege of waking up with both opportunity and peril waiting on the tee.
That is the charm and cruelty of a weather-delayed event. Some players sleep on a score. Others sleep on a problem.
Chasing Pack Still Has Enough Teeth
American Jordan Gumberg and Austria’s Maximilian Steinlechner are already in the clubhouse at six under after rounds of 68 and 69 respectively, with first-round leader Julien Guerrier also at six under through 16 holes.
Steinlechner’s effort was particularly impressive given the amount of golf he had to digest in one sitting.
Maximilian Steinlechner: “It was basically two rounds in a row, I played 34 holes today so it was really solid. I think I made two bogeys for the whole day which is always really good and then bogey free in the second round.
“The wind picked up a little bit, but I just tried to keep it together. I had a few birdie chances but just didn’t make them and the last two holes were some interesting up and downs.
“My game feels solid, I feel like I am managing it well, I’m hitting good shots mostly so let’s see what the weekend brings. Last week showed me that I can compete in these tournaments, that my game is generally there.
If I can hit good shots and make good decisions, then I can win one of these tournaments. You have to play it over four rounds and I haven’t done that yet, but I feel like my game is there, so I’m looking forward to playing the weekend.”
Finn Oliver Lindell and American Hunter Logan sit at five under with four and eight holes still to play, while 12 players are in the clubhouse four shots off the lead. That group includes Major Champions Francesco Molinari and Danny Willett, which is a polite reminder that four shots is not a moat, especially when the weather has already started interfering with the script.
A Weekend Built For Nerves
For Söderberg, the task is simple in theory and rather less simple in Amsterdam air: finish round two cleanly, protect the lead, and avoid donating momentum to the pack behind him.
For Hillier and Katsuragawa, the advantage is psychological as much as practical. Their scores are posted. Their golf balls are not dangling in the morning chill. Dean, Tarren and others still have holes to play, and those holes will matter.
The KLM Open has already become a test of stamina as much as shot-making. The leaderboard is tight, the schedule is compressed, and the tournament has the pleasant unpredictability of a suitcase carousel after midnight.
Söderberg leads by one. The rest are close enough to hear him breathing. Saturday should be lively.
