Bernd Wiesberger continued his outstanding recent form to hold the clubhouse lead at the Maybank Malaysian Open.
The Austrian 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.
And the two-time European Tour winner carded a second round 66 at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club to reach eight under par and lead England’s Paul Waring and Ireland’s Peter Lawrie by a single stroke.
Wiesberger started on the back nine and dropped a shot at the 11th, but recovered with three birdies in the next five.
The 29 year old then produced a strong finish with birdies at the third, sixth, eighth and ninth.
“It was a nice day and I finished really well,” said Wiesberger. “I holed a long curling putt on the sixth, which was my 15th, and I hit it really close on the last two. I felt comfortable out there and it was much better today.
“I wasn’t at my best yesterday - mentally I was a bit tired and not in the zone like I have been for the past few weeks. I got the bill for it straight away by making a bogey on the second – which was a good bogey as I was looking at a triple bogey when I hit it right. I struggled on the front nine but got away with it on the back to shoot under par and kept it going today.
“Sometimes you get in a groove and play well and things happen for you, and I just hope it lasts a long time.”
Waring, who turned 30 on Monday, aced the 15th during his opening round and followed that with a 68, while Lawrie fired six gains in a flawless 66.
Lawrie lost his card on the back of a disappointing 2014 campaign and failed to come through Qualifying School by a single shot, but almost matched Waring’s exploits at the 15th as his tee shot struck the pin to set-up a straightforward gain.
“I’m delighted to be here and very lucky to have received a sponsor’s invite, so I thank Maybank for that,” said the former Open de Espaa winner. “To shoot 66 today was wonderful.
“I’ve been in the doldrums for the past 20-odd months, since the Irish Open in 2013. It’s been a long wait, but hopefully I can keep my name up there.
“I’ve struggled with a lot of swing changes and confidence, but my confidence is coming back and I can see the ball going in the hole, so it bodes well for the rest of the year.
“I struggled with my confidence all last year and I kept on getting kicked and kicked. When you’re down and you keep on getting kicked, at some stage you say you’re not going to get up. But at some stage things have to turn around, everything changes and I’m here now. I’m delighted to be here.
“The swing is in good shape now and it’s just a matter of trusting yourself. There are still bad habits in there that I’m trying to keep at bay, but yesterday and today I played flawless golf. I haven’t put a foot wrong yet and I’ve holed a few putts to be near the top of the leaderboard.
“I’ll just do my best and maybe a top five will get me into next week. It’s tough this year relying on sponsors’ invites. I’m writing begging letters and I’m a sole trader, not being with a big management group. It’s difficult, but I’ll keep trying and when I get the opportunities I’ll hope to play well.”
Overnight leaders Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood were among the afternoon starters, and it was former US Open Championship winner McDowell who joined the group on seven under after responding to a bogey at the first with gains at the third and fifth.
Former World Number One Westwood, this week’s defending champion, had birdied the fourth but handed the shot back at the next.
