Broadhurst takes charge as Sandelin clings to Tour survival
While Broadhurst was adding a 66 to his opening 67 for a seven under par total of 133, one better than Jose Maria Olazabal, Swede Jarmo Sandelin needs the weekend of his life to avoid returning to the tour qualifying school.
Sandelin, part of Europe's team against the USA in Boston in 1999, feared the worst when he went out of bounds and triple-bogeyed the 12th, then three-putted the last for a 73.
"The pain is over - a new life as a taxi driver begins," he said gloomily as he handed in his scorecard. But nearly five hours later the cut went to four over par and he survived on the limit.
That was the good news. The bad is he must climb into the top four over the closing 36 holes to move from 139th on the Order of Merit into the leading 116 who keep their cards.
"I was out of bounds twice today and that cost me four shots," he said.
"My new swing is so much better and I'm hitting many, many more brilliant shots, but it's like somebody is playing the destiny game with me."
Broadhurst can sympathise. He lost his card in 2001 and required two trips to the qualifying school to get it back. If he had failed second time he might well have quit.
How things have changed. At age 40 Broadhurst is enjoying the most lucrative season of his career. Even when he was ninth on the money list nine years ago he did not earn the €672,652 he has already this year - and now he has the chance to add €250,000.
Broadhurst had his first victory for a decade at the Portuguese Open in April and was reminded of that feeling coming into this tournament.
"I had pretty much zero expectations - about the same as Portugal," he commented.
"It's amazing how many times that happens. One day you can't hit it, the next day you're leading."
After seven birdies in his first 12 holes on the short but tricky layout Broadhurst led by five. But he went into the lake on the 392-yard 14th for a double bogey six and Olazabal's joint best-of-the-day 65 lifted him onto the heels of his former Ryder Cup team-mate.
Olazabal is making changes to the course and asked if it would be a thrill to take the title he replied: "It would be a thrill to win anywhere after three years without one."
It was a bad day for Ireland's Gary Murphy who followed his opening 66 with a 74 for 140. Damian McGrane also qualified. He followed his opening 72 with a 71 for a 143 total.
France's Gregory Bourdy knows he cannot hold on to his place on the circuit. He missed the cut by one and Miguel Angel Martin's survival means he is sure to go past him.
Scot David Drysdale's fate is out of his hands now after an early exit. At 115th on the Order of Merit, he is in danger of losing his card.
Sheffield's Malcolm Mackenzie, who with 588 tour events to his name is fifth in the all-time list, will also have to go back to the qualifying school.
The 44-year-old winner of the 2002 French Open, ended a miserable two seasons, making three cuts from 33.
Defending champion Sergio Garcia had his second successive 69 to be five behind Broadhurst.
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