Lee Westwood’s title defence remained on course at the Maybank Malaysian Open as the former World Number One was joined by Alejandro Cañizares in a share of the halfway lead.
Tied with Ryder Cup team-mate Graeme McDowell at the top of the leaderboard overnight following an opening round of 66, Westwood – who romped to a seven shot victory in this event last year – turned in 35 but surged clear with four birdies on the back nine.
That gave the 41 year old Englishman a round of 67 and 11 under halfway total, but Spain’s Cañizares produced a fine finish of his own for a best-of-the-week 65 and share of the lead.
Two birdies and a bogey at the long fifth saw Westwood just one under at the midway point of his round, but he got up-and-down from a greenside bunker at the long tenth, holed a 12 footer at the 13th and, after missing birdie chances at the 14th and 15th, spun his approach to six feet at the 16th.
A closing birdie from 20 feet for the second day running briefly sent Westwood three shots clear, but Cañizares holed a 20 foot putt at the 15th and converted from six feet at the next before cashing in on the par five 18th.
“I played nicely again,” said Westwood. “It was pretty solid again and I probably only hit one poor shot all day, from the middle of the fairway on the fifth hole - I was going in with a five iron and blocked it right into the water.
“Other than that it was very good and I felt very comfortable out there; I hit a lot of fairways and some good iron shots and made some nice putts. It was great to birdie two of the last three and go from one in front to three in front.”
Cañizares had his first European Tour win in eight years in Morocco last year, and has already finished 12th in Abu Dhabi and eighth in Qatar this year.
“It was a lot of fun and I played really well,” said the 32 year old. “I wasn’t so good off the tee today, but I putted really well.
“I made some great up-and-downs when I missed a shot, and I’m very happy overall. I can’t wait for the weekend – it will be a lot of fun.
“It’s a great position to be in and I couldn’t ask for any better; hopefully I can keep it going.”
The pair are three shots clear of in-form Austrian Bernd Wiesberger, who went round in 66.
The two-time European Tour winner finished tied for sixth, third, and tied for fourth in the three events of the recent Desert Swing to climb into the Official World Golf Ranking’s top 50 for the first time.
“Sometimes you get in a groove and play well and things happen for you, and I just hope it lasts a long time,” said Wiesberger.
Ireland’s Peter Lawrie and England’s Paul Waring are tied for fourth on seven under, with McDowell two shots further back in eighth.
