Staff WriterGregorio De Leo will take a one-shot lead into the weekend at the Turkish Airlines Open, after a second-round 68 at National Golf Club gave the Italian his first 36-hole lead on the DP World Tour and a rather tasty glimpse of a maiden title.
There are easier ways to spend a Friday than trying to pick apart a golf course that refuses to hand out birdies like complimentary peanuts. But De Leo, 26, did exactly that, collecting five birdies, dropping just one shot, and signing for seven under par.
Not bad for a man who arrived in Türkiye on Wednesday afternoon without so much as a practice round. Some players like preparation. De Leo appears to prefer mild chaos and a good caddie.
De Leo Sets The Target At National Golf Club
Playing in the morning wave, De Leo posted the clubhouse number at seven under, and for a while it looked as though the field might not get a glove on him.
Afternoon starters Alejandro Del Rey and Jens Dantorp briefly joined him at the top, but National Golf Club had other ideas. Both slipped back to six under, where they sit alongside Kazuma Kobori and Sam Bairstow in a four-way tie for second.
That leaves De Leo one clear heading into Saturday, with a DP World Tour breakthrough suddenly looking less like a distant ambition and more like a very real weekend appointment.
No Practice Round, No Panic
De Leo’s position is even more impressive given the circumstances. He came into the week without a proper look at the course, relying heavily on caddie Adam Drummond to steer him through the kind of layout where uncertainty can turn into double bogey faster than a waiter in a hurry.
The Italian regained his DP World Tour playing privileges through Qualifying School after a rookie campaign that included two top-five finishes. Before that, he topped the Alps Tour Order of Merit in 2022, so this is not a player who has appeared from behind a pine tree without credentials.
But a first DP World Tour title is a different beast. It has claws, teeth, and a nasty habit of waking up on Sunday afternoon.
De Leo Credits His Caddie After Strong Start
Speaking after his round, De Leo was measured, grateful, and clearly aware that National Golf Club is not exactly tossing rose petals in front of anyone.
Gregorio De Leo: It felt very good today. I played very well. I was solid off the tee, and my putter really helped me today. I holed a lot of putts out there. I’m very happy with it. It’s not an easy course, so you’re going to expect some bogeys on the card. I’m not bothered about my bogey on 13, I’m fine with it.
It’s tricky because I got here on Wednesday afternoon, so I didn’t even have a practice round. I didn’t know how the course was playing so I’m really grateful for my caddy Adam. He really helped me out yesterday and today. We started working together in Australia five months ago and we’re a good team.
Chasing Pack Keeps The Pressure On
Behind De Leo, the Turkish Airlines Open leaderboard has enough movement to keep everyone honest.
Del Rey, Dantorp, Kobori and Bairstow are just one shot adrift at six under. First-round leader Mikael Lindberg, who opened so brightly, slipped back after a 73 and now sits alone in sixth on five under.
Defending champion Martin Couvra survived the cut on the number at one over, which is rarely glamorous but often essential. Championship defence is a lot like trying to keep a white shirt clean at a barbecue: survival matters.
Asian Swing Stakes Add Extra Edge
There is more on the table this week than the Turkish Airlines Open trophy.
This is the fourth and final counting event on the Asian Swing, with the top three in the Rankings at the end of the week earning a place at next month’s U.S. PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club.
Jordan Gumberg, the current Asian Swing leader, kept himself alive for the weekend with a closing birdie. That one putt may yet prove enormously valuable, particularly with major championship access hanging in the air like a perfectly flighted wedge.
Final Group Set For Saturday Morning
The third round begins at 7:00 am local time, with De Leo teeing it up in the final group alongside Del Rey and Kobori at 9:10 am.
It is a fine position, but not a comfortable one. National Golf Club has already shown that it can make low scoring awkward, and a one-shot lead in tournament golf is less a cushion than a folded napkin.
Still, De Leo has played with control, holed the right putts, and handled a tricky course without looking flustered. For a player chasing his first DP World Tour title, the weekend at the Turkish Airlines Open now offers the kind of opportunity that can change a career.
All he has to do is keep walking through the fire without checking whether his trousers are smoking.
