Overnight co-leader Liang Wen-chong and England’s Matthew Baldwin forced their way to the head of affairs as the second round of the M2M Russian Open began near Moscow.
China’s Liang had been level with England’s Simon Dyson and Swede Rikard Karlberg on five under par after the first round, but having bogeyed the opening hole he fought back with birdies on the 11th and 16th.
The 34 year old’s only European Tour win came in 2007, and he had not posted a top-ten finish in more than two years prior to finishing third in India and Austria this season.
By reaching six under his improved form continued and took him level with Baldwin, who birdied the tenth and 15th in an outward 34.
Karlberg was among the afternoon starters and had been joined on five under by England’s Mark Foster and France’s Alexandre Kaleka.
After a solid start a double bogey seven at the par five 17th had seen six-time European Tour winner Dyson slip to one over for the day and into a group of players on four under.
