GARY EMERSON surged to the top of the leaderboard in the Dutch Open with a barrage of birdies as the second round got under way at Hilversum today.

The former Salisbury professional had come from nowhere last night with three birdies in his last five holes for a one-under 69 in his first round.

But it got dramatically better this morning when even a bogey at the fourth couldn't stop him.

Instead of holding him back it propelled him on to a magical streak which brought eight birdies in his next 11 holes.

So Emerson, who had started the day in 20th place, was eight under and two shots clear of the field, with Sweden's Henrik Nystrom second.

A six at the 464-yard 16th hole sent Stoneham tournament professional Richard Bland crashing out of the top ten to 50th after the first round.

The double bogey was a blot on a landscape which was looking increasingly pleasing for Bland after a shaky start.

He was two over after six holes but played the next nine in three under with birdies at the seventh, tenth and 12th .

The man who came to Holland on the back of a top-20 finish at Celtic Manor last week, was laying down the foundations for another good tournament and, although he stumbled at the 16th, Bland parred the last two for a round of 71 - one over par.

Although that placed him 50th, the scoring was so close that only two shots divided 19th and 60th places.

Well down the field, though was Southampton's Matthew Blackey, at six over.