ZANDVOORT, September 12, 2014 (AFP) - Larrazabal birdied his first six holes on the par-70 Kennemer Golf Club to be out in 28, and a European Tour's first sub-60 round was still possible after he followed four pars with another birdie.
But the 31-year-old then recorded four more pars before finishing with two birdies and a bogey in the last three holes to finish 10 under par, two ahead of France's Romain Wattel and Italy's Edoardo Molinari.
"I started very fast with birdies on the first six holes and then I tried just to play golf and put myself in position to make some more, but the round cooled down a little bit in the middle," said Larrazabal, who won his third European Tour title in Abu Dhabi earlier this year.
"After starting with six birdies I was thinking it is a par 70, I only need five more. The middle of the round it cooled down but it was a great shot into the last to finish with a 62.
"I was aware of the 59 more than the course record. I thought about the 59 when I started with six birdies. I thought I only need five more to make the magic number, but maybe I put a bit more pressure on myself. I've got a few course records around Spain but none on the European Tour, so it is nice."
Wattel carded six birdies and one bogey in his round of 65, with Molinari hitting six birdies and two bogeys for a second successive 66.
American Peter Uihlein, Scotland's Richie Ramsay and Dane Soren Hansen were two shots further back on six under, with defending champion and home hope Joost Luiten five under after adding a 70 to his opening 65.
Leading second round clubhouse scores from the EPGA Dutch Open at Kennemer Golf and Country Club in Zandvoort on Friday (GBR & IRL unless stated, par 70):
130 - Pablo Larrazabal (ESP) 68-62
132 - Romain Wattel (FRA) 67-65, Edoardo Molinari (ITA) 66-66
134 - Richie Ramsay 69-65, Peter Uihlein (USA) 66-68, Soren Hansen (DEN) 68-66
135 - Brooks Koepka (USA) 69-66, Tyrrell Hatton 68-67, Thomas Aiken (RSA) 67-68, Andy Sullivan 67-68, Maximilian Kieffer (GER) 67-68, Mikko Ilonen (FIN) 69-66, Joost Luiten (NED) 65-70
136 - Chris Wood 69-67, Marc Warren 68-68, James Heath 69-67, Jbe Kruger (RSA) 73-63, Andrea Pavan (ITA) 66-70, Simon Dyson 70-66, Oliver Fisher 70-66, Thomas Pieters (BEL) 70-66
137 - Daniel Im (USA) 67-70, David Howell 68-69, John Hahn (USA) 71-66, Gary Stal (FRA) 66-71, Johan Carlsson (SWE) 70-67, Jose-Filipe Lima (POR) 70-67, Tommy Fleetwood 70-67, Eddie Pepperell 69-68, Mark Foster 70-67, Simon Thornton 68-69
138 - Craig Lee 69-69, Robert Jan Derksen (NED) 71-67, Roope Kakko (FIN) 69-69, Emiliano Grillo (ARG) 72-66, Joachim B Hansen (DEN) 72-66, Robert Karlsson (SWE) 69-69, Paul Casey 68-70, Reinier Saxton (NED) 71-67, Nacho Elvira (ESP) 71-67, Padraig Harrington 70-68
139 - Damien McGrane 71-68, Adam Gee 69-70, Magnus A Carlsson (Swe) 68-71, Tom Lewis 70-69, Raphael Jacquelin (FRA) 71-68, Jamie McLeary 67-72, Shane Lowry 70-69, Inder Van Weerelt (NED) 69-70, Gaganjeet Bhullar (IND) 70-69, Wade Ormsby (AUS) 70-69, Alexandre Kaleka (FRA) 72-67, Julien Quesne (FRA) 70-69, Christopher Doak 69-70
Selected:
140 - Niclas Fasth (SWE) 70-70, Darren Clarke 73-67, Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP) 71-69, Gregory Bourdy (FRA) 73-67
Missed the cut:
141 - Jose-Maria Olazabal (ESP) 69-72, Alvaro Quiros (ESP) 69-72
142 - David Horsey 72-70, Alastair Forsyth 70-72, Victor Riu (FRA) 69-73, Darren Fichardt (RSA) 69-74, Lee Slattery 72-71, Graeme Storm 73-70
144 - Paul Lawrie 71-73, Gregory Havret (FRA) 75-69, Michael Hoey 73-71
145 - Thomas Bjorn (DEN) 71-74, Richard Green (AUS) 71-74