Kiwi golfer Daniel Hillier has surged into the lead after the second round of the DP World Tour's BMW International Open in Germany.
Hillier, 24, carded a bogey-free 67 at the Golfclub München Eichenried to move to nine-under overall - one shot clear of Danish debutant Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen.
His round featured five birdies, including three on consecutive holes, amid blustery Munich conditions, which were well suited to the Wellingtonian's game.
"Pretty pleased, obviously," Hillier said. "It was pretty tough conditions out there.
"Breeze is definitely up and making it tricky, pretty swirling winds as well.
"I played a really solid front nine. There were a couple of lucky ones coming in and I managed to go round bogey-free, which was pretty good.
"I think it helps when you come from Wellington, playing in the wind all your life. Then you have to navigate your way around it."
Hillier has won on the European Challenge Tour in each of the last two seasons, the most recent at the 2022 Swiss Challenge, which helped him earn DP World Tour status.
He has made just three of his last nine cuts, but one of those brought his best finish of the season so far - a tie for sixth at last month's KLM Open in the Netherlands.
"I need to stay patient coming down the stretch," he said. "I was pretty good at KLM... maybe one or two birdies more, and I think I bogeyed 16 or 15, and that kind of took me out of it, unfortunately.
"If I'm in that situation again, just make sure I stick to my gameplan, don't try and think too much and if the results come my way, then I'm really pleased."
Meanwhile, compatriot Lydia Ko has overcome a poor first round to make the cut by the narrowest of margins at the Women's PGA Championship in New Jersey.
Ko shot a two-over-par 73 in her second round at the Baltrusrol Lower Course to sit right on the projected cutline of five-over at the Major.
Starting her round at three-over, Ko's struggles continued at Springfield, as she shot six bogies and four birdies to sit tied for 64th - 10 shots adrift of leader Leona Maguire from Ireland.
The world No.3 is trying to break her longstanding drought at Major tournaments, which dates back seven years to her triumph at the 2016 ANA Inspiration.
