Rumford on form

AUSTRALIAN Brett Rumford remains on course to fulfil his best man duties after holding onto the lead in the St Omer Open.

He needs to secure a card for next season to avoid a return to the European Tour qualifying school in November as it clashes with his brother’s wedding.

The 25-year-old heads the chase for the £46,000 first prize and one-year exemption at the halfway stage in France.

Rumford added a second-round 70 to his opening course record 64, for an eight under par total of 134, one shot ahead of Spain’s Alvaro Salto, who returned a 67.

“It was a different sort of day,” said Rumford, who carded seven birdies and no bogeys to take a shot off the previous course record on Thursday.

Welshman Garry Houston was two shots behind Salto in third place, with Paul Broadhurst among those a stroke further back.