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GUANGZHOU, China: Chinese star Liang Wenchong and Australian Andrew Martin each shot six-under-par 65 to share the second-round lead at eight-under in the 500,000-dollar Midea China Classic on Friday.
Australian Stephen Leaney, the 2003 US Open runner-up, carded a 69 and Korean Park Jun-bum shot 66 to go six-under at the Royal Orchid International south of Guangzhou, in the third event of the inaugural OneAsia season.
First-round leader Craig Scott (72), fellow Aussie Brad McIntosh and China national team amateur Kevin Huang Wenyi (68) finished five-under, one ahead of Koreans Park Jae-kyung (69) and Sung Sea-woo (72) and Irishman Eddie Barr (72).
Liang showed the form that made him Asia's number one in 2007 by hitting a bogey-free round.
The 31-year-old crowd favourite opened with a birdie on his first hole, the 10th, before a 35-foot putt on the par-three 15th kicked off a run of five birdies in six holes.
"I'm very happy. The long putt on hole 15 got my momentum going," said Liang, a Guangdong native.
Liang, joint runner-up in last month's Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open in Japan, is aiming to become the third Chinese winner of the Midea event following victories by Yuan Hao in 2005 and Zhang Lianwei in 2006.
Thai legend Thaworn Wiratchant won in 2007, while Korean teenager Noh Seung-yul emerged victorious last year.
"I really want to win because I haven't won for three years in China and the Midea is one of the major events in our golfing calendar," he said.
"A win could help attract more interest in golf in China, especially after it was voted into the 2016 Olympics."
Martin, the 2004 Australian Amateur champion, bogeyed holes two and three, but a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-four fifth kicked off a run of eight birdies in 11 holes, including four in a row from 12.
"I'm not as long as the likes of Craig Scott and Brad McIntosh, but you don't have to be on this course. They can take advantage of their length, but shorter players can still shoot low here," said the 25-year-old.
"When I started with two bogeys, I thought this could be a tough round, but then I started holing some putts and striking the ball well, like I did in the first round."
Leaney, Liang's playing partner, bogeyed 14 before picking up shots at 16, one and eight. The former President's Cup player now lurks two shots behind the co-leaders as he bids for his first major title since the 2002 German Masters.
OneAsia plans to offer 12-15 events next year and 17-20 annually from 2011 and beyond. - AFP/de
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