China’s Yuan Yechun yesterday blitzed the field for a one-shot lead after the second day of the European Tour cosanctioned Australian PGA Championship, but wily Adam Scott lurked dangerously for a weekend charge.
The big-hitting 22-year-old broke away from the pack with three consecutive birdies on holes 11, 12 and 13 before losing his touch with two bogeys.
However, he restored order with another birdie — his eighth of the day — for a seven-under-par 65.
It left him one clear of Australia’s Anthony Quayle, who mixed six birdies and an eagle with two bogeys in his 66.
World No. 18 Scott is well placed heading into today, two off the pace after draining three birdies in his final four holes.
“I pulled a seven iron somewhere that I didn’t like very much and made a bogey, but other than that, I think I pretty much hit 16 greens today — so it was fairly stress-free,” said Scott, who nailed an eagle for the second consecutive day at the par-5 15th in his 67.
“I rolled a lot of nice putts,” Scott said. “A lot went by the edge, but I made a couple as well.”
It left him tied for third with fellow Australian Wade Ormsby, who he has known since they were 13.
Another Australian and the defending champion, Cameron Smith, also made a move, stroking a bogey-free 65 to surge back into contention for a third Australian PGA title.
He sits four strokes behind Yuan after a disappointing first-round 74.
Smith said that he was drained on Thursday after an intense week at the Presidents Cup, where he was on Ernie Els’ International team, alongside Scott, that lost to Tiger Woods’ US team.
“It was tough yesterday, [because it was] so draining last week... It’s amazing what a day can do in the game of golf,” he said. “I didn’t play aggressively or anything — just did my stuff and walked away with seven birdies.”
American Cameron Champ, who won the Safeway Open on the PGA Tour this year, stroked a 70 to go with his first-round 71, leaving him five strokes adrift of Yuan.
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