Shanghai: Choi Gwang-soo and Adam Fraser took advantage of calm afternoon conditions at Shanghai Silport to share the halfway lead at the Volvo China Open, one stroke ahead of first-round leader Zhang Lianwei and Scotsman Ross Bain.

Korean veteran Choi shot a flawless round of eight-under 64 to tie the Silport course record set last year by South African James Kingston. Fraser, an unheralded Australian rookie, posted a round of five-under 67.
Australian David Gleeson, the defending champion, was in fifth place with compatriot Scott Strange and Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant, two shots back of the leaders.

Zhang, who drew a large gallery on the second day of play, only had three birdies in a round of three-under 69. The Chinese number one said he was feeling the pressure to win his country’s national Open.

“I’m much more relaxed when I play in other countries like Japan. Although the crowds are bigger there, they follow all the star players and not me,” said the Zhuhai native who played in the morning under windy conditions.
“The wind affected me. I often missed the target by 10 yards and my putting wasn’t that good,” he said.

Choi, a multiple winner on the Korean Tour, didn’t miss a fairway during his memorable round. “I birdied all the par fives – they we’re like a give-me. I feel very confident. I have experience at winning and there is no pressure on me at all.”

His equaling of the course record came on the day when the European Tour announced that next year’s Volvo China Open would be joining its circuit . George O’Grady, an official of the Tour, said the event would have prize money of US$1 million and would take place at Silport next year, sometime around November. The event would likely take place back-to-back with the Hong Kong Open to ensure the strongest field possible.

The joint-sanctioned event with the Asian PGA would allow players to earn points towards the world ranking.