Laurie Canter carded a flawless 66 featuring an eagle at the par-5 15th on Friday to reach 12-under and take the clubhouse lead at the European Open.

“I putted really well today, which was nice, and obviously my ball-striking was solid,” he said. “I think I hit every fairway today which is very important if you’re going to score well round here.

“I think I’m doing a lot of good things with my game, my short game has bailed me out a couple of times which was good to see.

“There’s such a long way to go. I’ve had leads before in tournaments and you can approach it one of two ways. I’m determined this weekend to go out and keep attacking the golf course as much as I can and play as well as I can. I don’t see any point in holding off.”

“I think there is a low score in the 60s out there as the leader proved yesterday with a nine under, that was a phenomenal score but it shows it can be done so I think in the position I’m in, I’m going to try and keep my foot down.

“It’s golf so I’m expecting a few things to come my way but I have to approach it with a lot of positivity and don’t hold back at all for 36 holes and see where I end up. Although I’ve got a lead, I know the nature of golf and I don’t want to be playing negatively to any pin, I want to try and take it on for the rest of the week.”

The Englishman has recorded four runner-up finishes on the DP World Tour but has yet to win.

Germany’s Jannik De Bruyn who held the overnight lead closed with a 73 after making five bogeys on his front nine and slipped down into a share of second place at 9-under alongside Denmark’s Niklas Norgaard who shot a 68.

England’s Garrick Porteous lies in fourth place at 7-under through 14 holes.

Twenty players will have to complete round 2 on Saturday morning following a three-hour delay at the start of the day die to a flooded course.

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