Dier takes 3 shot halfway lead

A cooler putter kept Tobias Dier in check but a three-under-par 67 in the Dutch Open second round, to go with his Tour record-equaling 60 of the previous day, gave the revitalized German a three-shot lead Friday.

"I didn't hole that many putts today and that's the only difference between today's round and my 60 because I'm very happy with the way I'm playing," said the 25-year-old Nuremburg professional after another faultless round which took him to 13-under-par 127.

Dier, who began the morning five ahead of the field, again excelled on the inward half of the Hilversumsche course, picking up his three birdies after the turn following a run of 11 successive pars.

He needed to be sharp after a sleepy early-morning start as Australian Peter Lonard and Britain's Jamie Spence and Mark Roe came charging after him.

Lonard equaled the old course record of 63 before Dier had smashed it Thursday, as the burly Sydney professional -- now combining his year with the U.S. Tour -- surged to 130 to join Spence, who had carded a 64, in second place.

Roe's similar 64 took him within four strokes of Dier.

When Dier came in he admitted he fully expected an afternoon charge, saying: "It now depends on the other players.

"You never know what these guys can shoot.

"But you can only play your own game and play your best, then see what the others do."

An early start Friday, he felt, accounted for his opening run of only pars. "I wasn't really awake at 7.20 in the morning and played the first few holes as if I was a bit in the dark!"

The young German came up with two good reasons for a remarkable transformation this week as he ended a miserable run of 12 missed cuts in 15 starts, leaving him anchored at 182nd on the European rankings.

He is in danger of losing the card he gained from a one-year exemption after winning last year's North West of Ireland Open, which was co-run with the Challenge Tour.

Being less aggressive and taking advice from his compatriot, the experienced three-times tour winner Sven Struver, have changed his fortunes, he said.

"For the last five or six weeks I've not played smart enough, attacking a few pins and then felt the revenge of the courses.

"And Sven told me I was doing too much practice and suggested I tune it down a bit. I was practicing for six to eight hours and spending two hours in the gym.

"Last Friday I only did three hours practice, none on Saturday and just worked on my posture with my coach Sunday.

"I then spent Monday traveling here, so it was an awfully strange feeling I had when I went out to play Tuesday.

"I'll try to do that more often now."

Defending champion Bernhard Langer birdied the last for a 69 to finish level par and make the cut.

Six times major winner Nick Faldo just outdid double major winner John Daly by a stroke, finishing on 136 with a 68, nine off the lead, while Daly, recovering from a hand injury, carded 67 for 137.

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