Pieters not letting focus drop Down Under

Thomas Pieters (7/1f – Outright Winner) says he will not allow his standards to drop over the next 18 holes after moving into a four-way share of the ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth lead at the halfway stage.

World number 79 Pieters handled the windy conditions superbly at Lake Karrinyup Country Club on Friday to surge into a share of the lead on -8 alongside Ryan Fox (9/1), Matthew Griffin (18/1) and Panuphol Pittayarat (22/1).

The Belgian made eight birdies and two bogeys for a six-under-par 66 and is in a great position to make the second cut of the tournament following Saturday’s round, with the top-24 players advancing into Sunday’s match-play format.

However, with round two leaders Brett Rumford and Lee Westwood failing to make the top 24 last year, 27-year-old Pieters says he is taking nothing for granted and will continue to play positive golf.

“You can get careless thinking you’ve got a lot of room to play with,” he told the European Tour website. “I think I’m going to try out there tomorrow and act like it’s a stroke play event and you always want to be in the first place. If you’re not, I don’t think you’re mentally taking it the right way.”

Englishman Richard McEvoy (28/1), Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre (33/1) and Australian Matt Jager (30/1) are in a three-way share of fifth on -7, one shot off the pace, whilst Adrian Otaegui heads a group of five players a further stroke back on -5.

The Spaniard, who is 18/1 to win the tournament, is joined on that mark by Australian Brad Kennedy (18/1), New Zealander Benjamin Campbell (45/1), American Berry Henson (50/1) and Frenchman Clement Sordet (28/1).

Odds subject to change