Chinese amateur Ding Wenyi will take a one-stroke lead into the third round of the Singapore Classic after completing his second round at Laguna National Golf Result Club on Saturday morning.
First-round leader Tom McKibbin had mixed five birdies with two bogeys on day two before play had to be halted for an hour due to flooded greens as he played the 18th.
When the action resumed at 18.20 local time, the Northern Irishman closed his round with a par to sign for a 69 and head into the weekend on 11 under.
He was soon joined at the summit by 18-year-old Ding, who carded two eagles, two birdies and a bogey in his first 14 holes before the daylight ran out.
The reigning U.S. Junior Amateur Champion recovered from a dropped shot at the second with an eagle on the par-four fifth before birdieing the sixth to turn in 33.
Another eagle at the tenth - also a par four - catapulted the talented amateur into contention, and after returning from the hour-long suspension he made a birdie at the 13th to join McKibbin at the summit.
He then returned to the course at 08:20 on Saturday morning, carding the third birdie of his round on the par three 17th to take the outright lead on 12 under par. He is now bidding to become the first amateur winner of a DP World Tour event since Shane Lowry’s triumph at the Irish Open in 2009.
“Actually yesterday, I didn’t feel really good, but I got two eagles,” said Ding. “I don’t know what happened – the ball was flying to the pin and it went in.
“Today (Saturday) I’m feeling better. Yesterday I only got two birdies – I hope I can do better today.
“It’s really exciting. This is my first time (being in this position). I think I have a chance to play better.”
McKibbin, who had posted a flawless 64 in round one, opened his birdie account on the par-five third on Friday and then produced a shot-of-the-day contender from the rough at the fifth to set up a close-range birdie.
He made it two birdies in a row on the sixth before rolling in his putt from around 12 feet at the eighth to move to 12 under and open up a two-shot lead.
After going agonisingly close to notching a birdie at the tenth, as his lengthy putt hit the hole but did not fall below ground, McKibbin dropped his first shot of the week at the short 11th.
"I just hoped we would finish it off. I didn’t fancy coming back early in the morning to hit three shots, very happy we managed it.
"I’m looking forward to it. Hopefully go out and play some of my own golf, concentrate well and see how it goes."
Julien Brun of France, German Marcel Schneider and England's Andy Sullivan share third place on ten under.
