Jordan Sherratt of Australia and Han Chang-wundeon of Korea share the 36-hole lead at the inaugural Asian Amateur Championship after finishing Round 2 Friday at 9-under 135 at Mission Hills Golf Club’s World Cup Course in China.
Sherratt tied the low round of the day with a 5-under 67 to take the clubhouse lead in the morning session, before being joined late in the day by Han, who added a 69 to his opening 66.
The inaugural tournament offers an invitation to the 2010 Masters Tournament as a reward for the champion, with both the winner and the runner(s)-up earning places in International Final Qualifying for The Open Championship being played next year at St Andrews.
New Zealander Peter Spearman-Burn trails by two after shooting 68, while the Phillipines’ Mhark Fernando is alone in fourth three shots back.
Three players share fifth, including India’s Rashid Khan, who has twice won the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final at Mission Hills, Korean Song Tae-hoon and another Filipino, Antonio Asistio. A total of 60 players qualified for weekend play, with the cut coming at 5-over 149.
After opening with an amateur course record of 65, overnight leader Han Ren struggled to a 78 in Round 2 and is tied for 17th.
T1 Sherratt, Jordan Australia 68 67 135
T1 Han, Chang-Won South Korea 66 69 135
3 Spearman-Burn, Peter New Zealand 69 68 137
4 Fernando, Mhark Philippines 67 71 138
T5 Khan, Rashid India 71 69 140
T5 Song, Tae-Hoon South Korea 71 69 140
T5 Asistio, Antonio Philippines 69 71 140
T8 Huang, Wenyi China 74 67 141
T8 Lam, Steven Hong Kong 71 70 141
T10 Chun, Eric South Korea 74 68 142
T10 Hu, Mu China 72 70 142
T10 Sripattranusorn, Wasin Thailand 71 71 142
T10 Giles, Matthew Australia 71 71 142
T10 Yoon, Jung-Ho South Korea 70 72 142
T10 Hung, Chien-Yao Chinese Taipei 70 72 142
T10 Ismail, Mohd Iszaimi Malaysia 70 72 142