Ireland’s Padraig Harrington birdied the last two holes to move into a share of the halfway lead of the Carlsberg Malaysian Open alongside New Zealand’s Michael Campbell on eight under par 136 when the second round resumed this morning.
Half the field returned to Saujana Country Club at 8am to complete their second rounds after play was suspended on Friday afternoon due to thunderstorms but the early start did Harrington no harm.
Starting on the 15th tee Harrington narrowly missed birdie opportunities on the 15th and 16th holes before capitalising on pitching wedge approach to 12 feet on the 17th. The Dubliner, who has finished fourth, third and second in his last appearances in Malaysia, then joined Campbell at the top of the leaderboard with another birdie, hitting his pitch to eight feet on the par five 18th, to complete a round of 66.
“I’m very happy to come back at 8am and finish with a couple of birdies,” said Harrington. “I’m still hitting a few bad shots but they are going in the right direction. I couldn’t ask to be in a better position. I could ask for more control but I must be doing something right to be up there.”
Campbell, winner of six tournaments in the past 18 months worldwide including victory at The Vines Resort, Perth, a fortnight ago, was already safely in the clubhouse on eight under par after a second round of 67.
Korean Kang Wook-soon, Asia’s most successful player over the past five years, also finished his second round with successive birdies to complete a round of 65, equalling the best round of the week, to move to seven under par and one shot off the par.
The two-time Davidoff Tour Order of Merit winner, who captured the Thailand Masters for a record seventh time a fortnight ago, hit every green in regulation in picking up seven birdies.
“I’m lucky to shoot 65!” said Kang. “I like Saujana because the course reminds me of Korea. This is my lowest round in five visits. Previously I shot 66 in the 1998 Malaysian Open when I finished third.”
Masters champion Vijay Singh, who cut his teeth in Asia, is among the group on 138, six under par after picking up a birdie on the 18th.
The cut fell at two over par with 73 players progressing for the final two rounds.
