Happy wanderer Hamilton in contention at Dutch Open
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HILVERSUM, Netherlands (Reuters) - Former British Open champion Todd Hamilton set up the chance of another European Tour victory when the American moved within a stroke of the Dutch Open second-round lead on Friday.
A three-under 67 at a soaking Hilversumche course gave him a seven-under 133 halfway total, one adrift of joint leaders Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium and India's Shiv Kapur.
Hamilton, who beat Ernie Els in a playoff for the 2004 British Open at Royal Troon, joined the European Tour after his playing rights on the other side of the Atlantic became uncertain.
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Much to his surprise, the 44-year-old is contending strongly here.
"When I saw the course I thought I would struggle," Hamilton told reporters, "but sometimes when you think something, it doesn't always happen.
"This is the first time I've put back-to-back scores together for a while. The last two or three years I have not played well a lot of the time," added Hamilton.
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"I didn't have full status on the U.S. Tour so I decided to take up European Tour membership.
"I'm seeing places I've never been to, like Switzerland last week, Austria next week, then France. It's real fun."
A stroke behind Hamilton is U.S. PGA champion Martin Kaymer of Germany.
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Kaymer, 25, who is warming up for his Ryder Cup debut in three weeks' time, has another goal this week -- to consolidate his place on top of Europe's money list.
"It's always nice to know you have a chance to win the order of merit so I'll be hoping to play well this weekend to try to help me win it," Kaymer said after a 67.
"It's been a solid couple of days but my putting has not been so good."
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Kaymer's Ryder Cup team mates Francesco Molinari and Ross Fisher are seven shots behind joint leaders Colsaerts and Kapur, who are chasing maiden tour wins.
A lost ball on the sixth damaged Colsaerts cause as he carded a 70 to follow the blistering 62 that earned him the first-round lead.
Kapur, trying to follow mentor Jeev Milkha Singh by winning in Europe, returned a 68.
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Swede Christian Nilsson (65) and Frenchman Jean-Francois Lucquin (67) shared third place with Hamilton on 133.
Singh, returning after a shoulder injury, was two shots behind fellow Indian Kapur.
(Editing by Tony Jimenez)