De Leo was proving practice doesn't make perfect, a host of would-be first-time winners were in close pursuit and there were contrasting fortunes for players in their bid to make the cut on day two of the Turkish Airlines Open.
Here is everything you need to know from Friday at the National Golf Club.
No practice, no problem for halfway leader De Leo
Gregorio De Leo holds a one-shot lead at the halfway stage but a host of fellow would-be first-time DP World Tour winners are chasing him down in Türkiye.
Playing in the morning wave on Friday, he mixed five birdies with a bogey in a 68 that saw him reach seven under in Belek, Antalya.
De Leo is chasing his maiden DP World Tour win after regaining his playing privileges at Qualifying School for the second time after a rookie campaign that featured two top-five finishes.
A former Alps Tour Order of Merit winner in 2022, the 26-year-old was indebted to his caddie Adam Drummond after a late arrival in Türkiye.
“I got here on Wednesday afternoon, so I didn’t even have a practice round,” he said.
“I didn’t know how the course was playing so I am really [thankful] of my caddie Adam. He really helped me out yesterday and today. It worked out.
“We started out in Australia, so it’d been five months and we’re a good team.
“He was driving me around the course because I didn’t know anything about it, especially yesterday. Today, I was a little more cautious of the shots where I was hitting them but he was really helpful.”
He added: “Low expectations definitely help but I don’t think next week I am going to do the same.”
In close pursuit
There are 37 players within six shots of De Leo at the midway point.
His nearest pursuers are a four-strong group of players one shot back, featuring Alejandro Del Rey, Jens Dantorp, Sam Bairstow and Kazuma Kobori.
Of those, Spaniard Del Rey is the only player to have won on the DP World Tour after he claimed his maiden win in Ras Al Khaimah last season.
The big-hitting Spaniard made back-to-back birdies at the 11th and 12th to move alongside Del Reo but a bogey – his second of the day – at the 18th saw him settle for a 71.
"Signing for an under par round without feeling my best is pretty cool," he said.
Swede Dantorp, a runner-up on the DP World Tour in 2023, reached seven under with a birdie at the third - his 12th - but slipped back a shot with his solitary dropped shot at the seventh.
Bairstow, another of the afternoon starters seeking a breakthrough title, made six birdies in an eventful round that also saw the Englishman make a double bogey and two bogeys to card a 70.
Kobori will also be encouraged that this week could be his time to claim a first win on golf's Global Tour after he made a hat-trick of birdies after the turn in a 68.
Last year, the New Zealander finished second at The Belfry as he reached the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in his rookie campaign.
Contrasting fortunes in #cutwatch
There was agony and elation for some as the second round reached its closing stages on Friday.
Sometimes things are just going for you, and Jordan Gumberg had fortune on his side as a closing birdie saw him just make the cut on the number after a 73.
"To be honest, I thought I'd missed it," he said. "I thought it was low right all the way so to see it creep in right at the end was maybe one of those nudges from somebody somewhere."
It boosts the America's chances of securing a spot at this month's US PGA Championship, with the top three players on the final Asian Swing Rankings after this week securing a spot at Aronimink Golf Club.
Martin Couvra, this week's defending champion, enjoyed an opening bogey-free 68 but he was out of sorts in a round that featured two double bogeys and needed a birdie at the seventh late into his day to just make the cut at one over.
Dan Bradbury was among those to miss out though, with a much-improved 68 still seeing him fall one shot shy of progressing through for the final 36 holes after a missed birdie putt at the last.
Despite admitting it hurt to not be around for the weekend, the Englishman was trying to focus on the positives after he bounced back well from an opening 78.
"The damage was done yesterday, so can't complain at all about today," said the three-time DP World Tour winner."
Skov Olesen bouyed after 'fun' American adventure
Jacob Skov Olesen is in the midst of his second season on the DP World Tour after an impressive rookie campaign that saw the 2024 Qualifying School graduate register six top tens as he reached the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Across his opening 11 starts of the 2026 season, he has two top fives and arrived in Türkiye on the back of finishing in a tie for fourth alongside countryman Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
Former team-mates in the junior and amateur ranks, the Danish duo are good friends and Skov Olesen would love to emulate Neergaard-Petersen by claiming one of the ten dual memberships available this season via the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World.
“It was fun to play with him [Neergaard-Petersen], it was fun to make the weekend obviously and give it quite a solid run for a good finish in the end,” he said.
“It was good to see him, we don’t get to see each other that much when he is over there, so it was good to spend the week with him.
“[I’ve taken] a lot of confidence. I thought I played very well, obviously we both played well but I felt I played well as well.
“To do it over there was nice so I have just taken that confidence back here and gotten rid of the jetlag so that’s been nice.
“Playing against the best players is always the goal for anyone who is competitive, so it is always the goal to push on and reach higher levels.”
The Turkish Airlines Open marks the final event of the Asian Swing, before the European Swing begins next week with the Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship. To buy your tickets for that event, click here.
