YouTube golfer Brad Dalke finds himself challenging for the title on his DP World Tour debut at the BMW International Open, sitting two shots off the lead at the halfway stage in Munich after a second-round 66.
Best known for his contributions to the popular Good Good YouTube golf channel, Dalke is playing the tournament on a sponsor's exemption and catapulted himself into contention with a six-under 66 on Friday that contained seven birdies and one dropped shot on the par-four 15th.
His score was bettered only by England's Jack Senior's 65 which has him in a share of second on 10 under, one behind leader Hennie du Plessis of South Africa, who followed up his opening 64 with a 69 on day two.
Countryman Michael Hollick and Mexico's Carlos Ortiz are tied with Senior in second, while American Dalke has further English hopefuls Paul Wearing and Joe Dean and Frederic Lacroix for company at nine under.
The 28-year-old Dalke was somewhat of a golfing prodigy in his youth, winning the 2015 Junior PGA Championship and finishing as runner-up at the US Amateur a year later which earned him a spot at both The Masters and US Open in 2017, where he failed to make the cut at either.
Making his first appearance in a ranking event for six years, Dalke said: "I didn't really have a goal coming into this week. I just wanted to have some fun and enjoy it, and obviously shooting 66 is pretty fun, so that helps the cause.
"Yesterday, that first tee shot, I was shaking like a leaf, and then coming down the last few holes too.
"I try not to look at leaderboards, but it's hard not to miss them out there, seeing my name up there for the first time.
"It's very nervy, but I also love these moments. I love playing in front of big crowds and big opportunities. It's been fun."
He added: "It's a weird mixture of there's no stress because I'm not out here fighting for points and I'm not grinding every week on the [DP World Tour] season, but also I do kind of represent YouTube golf in a way.
"There's a lot of people who love YouTube and love watching me, and they vouch for me, so I'm trying to prove it for them as well."
Watch day three of the DP World Tour's BMW International Open, live on Your Site Golf from 12pm, Saturday.
