Magical Kenya Open - Day two digest

Everything you need to know from day two in Nairobi.

It was tight at the top, Joe Dean was delivering, the fans were getting behind a near neighbour and Eddie Pepperell did not need a putter on day two of the Magical Kenya Open presented by absa.

Here is everything you need to now from Friday at Muthaiga Golf Club.

Trio tied at the top

Tapio Pulkkanen, Connor Syme and Darius van Driel were at the head of a congested leaderboard heading into the weekend. Dutchman Van Driel came into day two leading and followed up his opening 66 with a 69 to set the target at seven under. He was joined at the summit by Pulkkanen after a birdie-birdie finish saw the Finn sign for a 68 and Scot Syme carded a 68 of his own, eagling the last to make it a three-way tie. Spaniard Manuel Elvira, Scot Ewen Ferguson, Englishman Sam Hutsby and Italian Lorenzo Scalise were at six under, with 21 players within three shots of the lead.

More reasons for Dean to be happy

Joe Dean followed up his opening 68 with a 69 on day two to keep delivering in Kenya and that is really no surprise. The 29-year-old Englishman admits he fell out of love with golf in recent times before coming through the Qualifying School last year, working as a delivery driver for Morrisons. That is a job he has kept this season despite having his card and this week is just his second appearance of the campaign as he struggled to find the finances to support the travel, accommodation and other costs that come with playing around the world. "It’s been tough over the last few years, through Covid and bits and bobs," he said. "I took a bit of a step back, just played local tournaments and things like that. I got to Tour School, I’m here now and really enjoying it. Take it one step at a time and hopefully we’ll be around a lot more." Dean is now guaranteed to pocket some prize money in Kenya and what a story it would be if he were to win on Sunday.

Rugumayo has Muthaiga rocking

We may not have any Kenyans playing the weekend but it looks like the local fans will be making plenty of noise for Ronald Rugumayo from neighbouring Uganda. The 31-year-old got the biggest cheer of the week so far when he holed this putt on the ninth to make the cut and you can see just what it meant to him.

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail

There are many things that make you a four-time winner on the DP World Tour and two of them are preparation and routine. We had a look at Thriston Lawrence's on the first tee.

And things like that help him do things like this.

Big birds on par fours

There are plenty of eagles on offer this week but it is largely on the par fives where players are picking up two shots on one hole. Well on Friday it was happening on par fours with Nacho Elvira holing out on the 15th and fellow Spaniard Ivan Cantero making a two on the 17th. Take a bow, gents.

Put me down for a three

Ragged tee-shot, reasonable recovery, chip-in for a three. Easy game isn't it Eddie Pepperell?