‘It’s what has let me down’ - Sean Crocker prioritising mental approach as he leads in Hainan

Sean Crocker is hoping a renewed focus on his mental outlook will result in greater consistency in his on-course performances after moving into the lead at the halfway stage of the weather-affected Hainan Classic.

The American - a graduate of the HotelPlanner Tour in 2018 - won his maiden DP World Tour title at the Hero Open in 2022, days after opening up about how a long run of missed cuts earlier that season had taken him to a dark place on the course.

Since that victory in Scotland, he has struggled to kick on, with his best result a runner-up finish in Sweden in 2023 and he went into the week at Mission Hills Resort Haikou without a top 20 this season and on the back of a missed cut at last week’s Volvo China Open.

But he followed up an opening five-under-par 67 with a 68 over the Blackstone Course on Friday to lead by one at nine under.

Elvis Smylie sat second, one shot further back, after finishing his second round on Saturday morning.

Asked how his game is feeling, Crocker said: “It feels really good. But that is not really my main concern out there right now.

"I am working on other things, that have my mind at ease when I am out playing golf. So, golf is secondary right now.

"I am just working on the mental side of my game. I think it is what has let me down for the last eight years.

"If I can get that under control, I think I can maybe keep doing what I’m doing."

Starting his second round one shot off the first-round pacesetters, he made four front-nine birdies before reaching double figures for the week with a gain at the 12th.

His only dropped shot of the day came on his final hole, but that did not detract from his performance as players faced cloudier and more humid conditions than Thursday.

“I feel for the most part in control of what is going on out there," he said.

"A little bit different weather which has made today a little more challenging so scores will be a bit worse than what we saw the first day because it is definitely stormy."