Ewen Ferguson just one off lead at halfway stage in Kenya Open

Ewen Ferguson is hoping to prove he’s got a head for heights on the DP World Tour after mastering the challenge of playing at altitude in the opening two rounds of the Magical Kenya Open.

Having backed up his opening 66 with a 67 at Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi with a 67, the 25-year-old Scot sits joint-second, just one behind India’s Shubhankar Sharma, at the halfway stage.

“Just happy to be in the mix,” admitted Ferguson of his promising position on nine-under-par in what is just his third event since becoming a full DP World Tour card holder.

“I’m in the right frame of mind and playing nicely and, if I can keep hitting the long drives and the little fades in the middle of the fairway, I should be there or thereabouts going into Sunday.”

Ewen Ferguson acknowledges the crowd during the second round of the Magical Kenya Open at Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi. Picture: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images.

This week’s course sits more than 1,700m above sea level and Ferguson had found it difficult getting his clubs dialled in during the practice rounds.

“I spoke to my dad on Wednesday night, and he asked how I was doing,” revealed the former British and Scottish Boys’ champion. “I said, ‘I’m playing well but I’m hitting either way long or way short because I can’t gauge it.

“I think when the tournament started I just switched on a little bit in my head. I think it is a bit of guesswork and my caddie, Shane Koeries, is South African so that helps. He knows how it works a bit better than me and, if if it’s wrong, I just blame him (laughing)!”

Shubankar, a two-time tour winner, added a 67 to his opening 65 to lead from Ferguson and Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura, with 18-year-old Kenyan amateur Njoroge Kibugu just four off the lead after a second-round 66.

“It’s just Friday and I need to keep going,” said Kibugu, a member of the host club. “Hopefully I can keep playing this way at the weekend.”

Ferguson was joined in making the cut by David Law (four-under), Craig Howie (three-under), Connor Syme (two-under), David Drysdale (one-under) and Scott Jamieson (level-par), with Richie Ramsay (five-over) the odd man out.

Elsewhere, in-form Scot Rory Franssen is through to the quarter-finals of the Spanish Amateur after wins over Portugal’s Pedro Neves and Spaniard Alvaro Gomez de Linares at Sherry Golf.

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