Green holds three-stroke advantage
HILVERSUM, Netherlands -- Australian Richard Green is on course to capture his second European Tour title at the Dutch Open, seven years after his only success.
The 33-year-old left-hander took a three-shot lead at the halfway stage, upstaging the four Ryder Cup hopefuls battling it out.
Green's seven-under-par 63 took him to 12-under-par 128, three strokes ahead of Briton Andrew Raitt.
While Paul McGinley, Ian Poulter, David Howell and Graeme McDowell have a separate Ryder Cup agenda, Green has his own goal of adding to his 1997 Desert Classic victory.
When he beat major winners Greg Norman and Ian Woosnam in a sudden-death playoff for the Dubai title, further honours were expected for the Melbourne player.
He has suffered a title drought ever since, however, though two second places this year have made the 33-year-old optimistic about ending his lean spell.
"There's a lot of pressure on me, not the least from myself," said Green after collecting eight birdies and dropping only one shot.
"I feel I want the win bad enough to do it this year. I'm going to give it my best, stick to my plan of playing smart golf but it's a position I've not been in before, leading by a long way," he added.
"I have to make sure I'm in the same position on Sunday and bring home that second title."
Raitt continued to surprise himself by shooting a 67 as he has decided to hang up his clubs at the end of the year and quit golf following nearly 10 years of misery.
His fingertip was bitten off by a dog in 1995 and a damages case against the owner has led only to enormous costs.
Poulter, with a 67, made up most ground of the four Ryder Cup hopefuls, placing him alongside McGinley, who carded a 69, six shots off the lead in sixth place.
"I think I can chase him (Green) down and have a good weekend," said Poulter, the ninth placed man on the European combined Ryder Cup table.
McGinley, in 16th position in the table, and McDowell, 15th, have most to do to get into Bernhard Langer's team. Howell is best-placed in Hilversum, at eighth.
While his playing partner McDowell shot a 67 to lie eight strokes off the lead, Howell was delighted to just make the cut with a 70, having slumped to four over par in the first round before firing four late birdies.
First-round leader David Lynn of Britain holds a share of third place, five off the lead, along with compatriot Miles Tunnicliff, this year's Diageo Championship winner, and Swede Per Nyman.