Staff WriterSean Crocker wasted no time reminding everyone why his name is one to watch on the DP World Tour, firing a four-under-par 68 to grab a two-stroke cushion as darkness descended on day two of the Hainan Classic at Mission Hills Haikou.
Sean Crocker’s polished performance—five birdies offset by a lone bogey—has him sitting pretty at nine under, with the rest of the field scrambling in his slipstream.
A Masterclass as Night Falls
With the sun dipping low, Crocker closed out his round under the glow of floodlights—his only blemish a closing bogey that kept him from stretching his lead to three.
Yet for a golfer who last hoisted silverware at the 2022 Hero Open in Scotland, this week’s form is more than a flash of brilliance; it’s evidence that a renewed mental focus is paying dividends on the fairways.
Six Seekers in Hot Pursuit
Hot on Crocker’s heels is a six-strong pack at seven under, featuring familiar faces and a late-night finish from Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti.
Zanotti, like Crocker, signed for a 68 but barely beat the sunset, his final swing landing in the dark just before play was suspended at 7:00 pm local time. They’re joined by:
- Daniel Hillier (New Zealand)
- Martin Couvra (France)
- Jack Senior (England)
- Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Thailand)
- Elvis Smylie (Australia)
Several contenders still have unfinished business on the Blackstone Course, meaning that when the second round resumes at 7:00 am local time on Saturday, the leaderboard could look very different indeed.
Rediscovering His Game
After breaking through on the HotelPlanner Tour in 2018 and capturing his maiden DP World Tour title two years ago, Crocker admits he’s been searching for that spark ever since.
“I’ve recently started to focus more on the mental side of the game in a bid to improve results on the golf course,” he revealed, and this week’s display suggests that strategy is bearing fruit.
What Comes Next
With the third round teeing off no earlier than 9:45 am on Saturday, the question on everyone’s lips is whether Crocker can maintain his composure and transform this early salvo into a second DP World Tour triumph.
If his measured swing and clear mind persist, the name Sean Crocker may soon be more than just another headline—it could be the story of the week.
