GOLF: Jamie Spencehated every minute of last week's Open championship, but had a smile back on his face at the halfway stage of the Dutch Open yesterday.
Spence carded a second-round 64 for a 10-under-par total of 130 at Hilversum and a share of second with Australian Peter Lonard, three behind overnight leader Tobias Dier of Germany who added a second-round 70 to his record-equalling 60 on Thursday.
Sheffield's Mark Roe was a shot further back after matching Spence's 64, with Padraig Harrington and Gary Evans - who both missed out on a play-off for the Open by a shot on Sunday - two shots further back with Ryder Cup Swede Pierre Fulke.
Spence, one of the nine players to have shot a 60 on the tour when coming from 10 shots back in the final round to win the European Masters in 1992, eagled the 12th and 18th to be back in 30, after also covering the back nine in 29 shots in the first round.
"I was two over on Thursday after a double-bogey on the ninth and already planning Friday's flight home," said the 39-year-old from Kent, who praised the input of coach Peter Mitchell, himself a former winner on the European Tour.
"But I stayed with it and it's amazing what can happen. I hated every minute of last week, I didn't have anywhere to stay, I was in three different rooms in three nights. I was offered a room for £330 by the R&A which I wouldn't put my dog in.
"I was last off in the first round and clapped in by the bin men and security guards at 9.25 p.m., couldn't get in the back door of the locker room and when we left there was not a soul in the clubhouse so you didn't feel like you were playing.
"It sounds like sour grapes, but I did play badly last week. It is a great golf course, though."
Roe birdied three of the last four holes for his 64 and revealed: "I was hitting it so badly on the range on Wednesday that I very nearly packed the bags and went home. It felt absolutely terrible and I thought 'I can't go out and play'.
"But I managed to find something quickly, I had to throw every thought out of the window, take aim and make a swing and that's the way I used to swing it.
"At my age, after being out here for 18 years, you need this, you need to feel competitive," Roe added. "Otherwise it's very hard to get motivated especially when you have a young family like me."
Meanwhile, Evans has finally caught his breath after his dramatic closing round in the Open, and chipped in for birdie on the 17th and also holed a bunker shot on the 12th from 20 yards for eagle in his 64.
"It sounds like I was bit lucky but I played really well and I'm starting to feel more with it," said the 33-year-old. "I was absolutely knackered, it all hit me after four holes yesterday and I was pleased to stick with it. It would all have been too easy to say 'sod it, I had a good week last week' and just give in, but I had a good night's sleep last night and played solidly.
"It was mad the first 24 hours after the Open. I didn't know whether to feel upset or happy. But I've come down on the side of happy. The whole thing has been a great experience."
Harrington has now finished in the top eight in all three majors this season - fifth at the US Masters, eighth in the US Open and fifth in the British Open - and admitted such performances were making life difficult for him on the course.
"Because I've been playing well week-in, week-out I have high expectations and that makes it tough," the Dubliner said after his 67. "If I'm plodding along at level par I'm not happy. It's not easy to play golf when you are in that frame of mind."
Paul McGinley's poor recent form continued when he missed the cut after his second 71 put him two shots away from the weekend action. David Higgins also misses the weekend, but Ronan Rafferty's 72, after a first round 65, was good enough to see him through.
Nick Faldo eagled the 12th on his way to a second consecutive 68 to lie four under, alongside former European number one Lee Westwood, who showed encouraging signs of a return to form with a 66.
Former Open champion John Daly was a shot further back after a 67.
