Wade Ormsby of Australia and Arnond Vongvanij of Thailand shot to the top of the leaderboard in the rain-shortened second round of the Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea yesterday.
The two players were tied at seven-under 137 through two rounds at the par-72 Blackstone Golf Club.
Ormsby shot a 67 yesterday, while Arnond was round in 69 to share the club-house lead.
Ormsby earned his first Asian Tour victory earlier this month in India, but he has yet to win on the European Tour. Arnond is also seeking his first European Tour win.
The tournament, the only European Tour stop in South Korea, is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Korean Tour.
Play was delayed by inclement weather for the second straight day and the final groups only got four holes in. Players will return to finish their second round today.
Ormsby, who made four birdies on his front nine, said he had to “work my way into the tournament” because his rhythm was a bit off following a two-week break.
“Today, I felt good straight out of the blocks,” he said.
“I had a good back nine and then holed a couple of putts coming in. So overall, nice putting, keep it in play, so it was good,” he added.
Arnond said he was happy with the way he overcame tough conditions.
“A thunderstorm came in out of nowhere, so I think that caught us all by surprise,” Arnond said. “After we went out, the wind started blowing pretty heavily. I am glad to pick up one more shot coming in.”
Lurking one stroke behind the club-house leaders were Alexander Noren, James Morrison and Jbe Kruger.
Morrison enjoyed a bogey-free round of 66, while Noren also went without a bogey for his 67. Kruger mixed in six birdies with a bogey for a 67.
World No. 7 Louis Oosthuizen, held back by mediocre putting, remains three shots off the pace at four-under after shooting a 71.
Marcus Fraser, the 2010 Ballantine’s champion, joined Oosthuizen at four-under with his second straight 70.
The projected cut came at even-par, with Taiwan’s Tsai Chi-huang (74), Chan Yih-shin (74) and Hsieh Chi-hsien (78) all missing out, having completed their second rounds.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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