Day two digest: Portugal Masters

Everything you need to know from day two at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course.

Fisher took flight, the bubble boys showed their bottle and Eddie Pepperell potentially played cupid on day two of the Portugal Masters.

Here is everything you need to know from Friday at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course.

Eagles have Fisher flying

There cannot be many places that Oliver Fisher likes more than Vilamoura. After carding the first ever 59 in European Tour history here last year, he turned up this week 112th in the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex and battling to keep his card. So what better time to produce his two lowest rounds of the season and take a one shot lead into the weekend. His pitch in from around 50 yards on the par four fourth and second to four feet at the par five 17th helped ease his pressure in the Rankings and allow him to focus on European Tour win number two, but the Englishman is taking nothing for granted. "The thing with golf is anything can happen, just as I proved last year," he said. "I’m on the same score as I was at this stage last year in this tournament. I shot 71-59 and this year I’ve shot two 65s."

Big finishes boost bubble boys

Starting the week at 110th and 111th on the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex, Min Woo Lee and Niklas Lemke were in a better position than many to get the finish they needed to secure their cards. But standing on the 18th tee, Lee needed a birdie to make the cut which he promptly got to assure he will be picking up points. As for Lemke, you could cut the atmosphere with a knife as he stood over a seven footer for par to stay on the cut-line, but he too held his nerve to make the weekend. There was no such tension for Darren Fichardt, who birdied the 15th, 16th and last to surge up the leaderboard and to just the right side of the line, not that the South African will be worrying if he does lose his card. "As long as I’m playing well, it doesn’t matter what happens this week," he said. "I’ll just go to Tour School and get it there. It’s not my first rodeo, that’s just the way this game is." Nerves of steel.

Portugal pleases Pepperell

Eddie Pepperell has mixed memories of Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course. He lost his card here in 2016 as he entered the week on the right side of the line but double bogeyed his 36th hole to miss the cut. Since regaining his playing privileges at the first time of asking, he has claimed two European victories and finished third here in 2017 before coming second last season. After a bogey free 66 on Friday, he is right in the mix again. "I felt a little more comfortable with my swing so it's a solid round, to be honest, and I'm continuing a nice run of form at this place," he said.

Love in the air for Kaymer?

Martin Kaymer was playing alongside Pepperell and the Englishman offered his Major winning playing partner a wager - if Pepperell went lower than Kaymer, he would apply for the German to go on the television show First Dates. Pepperell went four shots better than Kaymer so will he hold the former World Number One to the bet? Quite possibly.

Cruzing into the weekend

Tiago Cruz has made nine cuts in 35 previous European Tour appearances but will be playing over the weekend in his only outing of the 2019 Race to Dubai. He will be taking some momentum with him as well after he recovered from back to back bogeys with a chip-in birdie on the last. "I said 'let's finish with a par and go home'," he revealed. "The second shot I missed a little right and was in trouble because the rough isn’t easy to play out of. My caddie said ‘trust in yourself and chip in’ and the ball went in. I haven’t been playing too well. I decided not to play Q School so I came here without expectations but the game is there. I played well and putted well, I’m happy."