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MILAN - New Zealand golfer Gareth Paddison made his fifth successive cut on the European tour after scoring an even-par 72 in the second round of the Italian Open in Milan.
Paddison holed a birdie putt on the 18th of the Castello de Tolcinasco course to make the cut by one shot with a two round five-under tally of 139.
Paddison began his 2008 European Tour season by missing the cut in the co-sanctioned Australian Masters in Melbourne.
He then finished 16th in the New Zealand Open but proceeded to sit out the weekend rounds in his next three events - the Johannesburg Open, Indonesian Open and the Ballantine's Championship in Korea.
It was in coming to Europe proper that Paddison has managed to string together a run of form.
He was 15th in the Madeira Island Open, 39th in the Adalucian Open, 24th in the Portuguese Open and then 18th in last week's Spanish Open.
Fellow New Zealander Steve Alker who missed the cut by four shots, has opted to remain in Italy to compete in next week's secondary Challenge Tour event in Torino.
"I've had about six weeks off and whilst it was nice to shoot a 69 today, I gave myself too much work to do after yesterday's 75," he said.
Sweden's Robert Karlsson leads after shooting a new course record of 61.
Karlsson seized a two-stroke lead after two eagles and eight birdies left him 15-under par after two rounds.
His score bettered the existing Milan course record by a shot.
- NZPA
