TIGER WOODS LEADS BY THREE IN CHEVRON WORLD CHALLENGE

Could Tiger Woods be heading for his first win since you know when?

He had a remarkable round of five-under-par 67 today in the second round of the Chevon World Challenge at One Thousand Oaks, Sherwood CC in Claifornia and leads the select field by three shots with an eight-under-par tally of 136.

Here's how Tiger's roller-coaster second round unfolded

Eagle 3 at the long 2nd.

Birdie 2 at the short third.

Bogey 5 at the par-4 sixth.

Birdie 2 at the short eighth.

Out in 33 (three under par)

Eagle 3 at the long 11th.

Birdie 2 at the short 12th.

Birdie 4 at the long 13th.

Double bogey 5 at the short 15th.

Birdie 4 at the long 15th.

Bogey 4 at the short 17th.

Home in 34 (two under par).

SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD

Par 144 (2x72)

136 Tiger Woods 69 67.

139 Matt Kuchar 72 67, K J Choi (S Korea) 66 73.

140 Zach Johnson 73 67, Hunter Mahan 72 68.

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MARTIN LAIRD JOINT SECOND LAST

FROM THE BBC SPORT WEBSITE
Tiger Woods hit two eagles and four birdies in a five-under-par 67 to surge into a three-shot halfway lead at the Chevron World Challenge in California.

The former world number one ended on eight under despite a double bogey 5 on the 15th, while overnight leader K J Choi hit a quadruple 7 on the 15th
Choi birdied the 16th for a 73 to join Matt Kuchar in second on five under.
England's Paul Casey improved to three over with a 68, while Scotland's Martin Laird is seven over after a 74.
Laird started well with a birdie on the first, but he double-bogeyed the second and dropped further shots on the 12th, 17th and 18th to join America's Keegan Bradley in a tie for second last in the 18-man field.
Casey eagled the second and birdied the third and fifth to move from his overnight seven over to three over but a mixture of three birdies and three bogeys checked his progress.
Neither of the British players looks likely to challenge this weekend, although Woods will be wary of those behind him after he surrendered a four-shot halfway lead in last year's tournament, losing to Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell in a play-off.
Woods, who has won this tournament four times, showed glimpses of the form that has seen him collect 14 majors in a glittering career.
He hit a delightful flop shot from the rough on the par-five 13th to set up a birdie, ending a run which saw the American, whose last victory came at the Australian Masters in November 2009, pick up four shots in three holes to eradicate Choi's three-shot overnight lead.
Choi was moving along steadily at two under for his round when he approached the 15th tee but the South Korean's card was completely wrecked by a 7 on the par-three.
He found water with his tee shot and then hit his third into the same greenside pond as he dropped back to four under par.
Woods too found the water and recorded a 5 but both players atoned to a degree with birdies on the par-five 16th.
Speaking through an interpreter, Choi said about Woods: "To put it simply, today he played like an artist. It's pretty clear that he's really recovered and is back in his old form again. He missed a few putts, but it was really good to see him play well."
Kuchar's five-under-par 67 included seven birdies, while his American compatriot Zach Johnson sank six successive birdies midway through his round to join Hunter Mahan in a tie for fourth on four under.

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PURCHASE BY TRUMP WORRIES POINT LAKE GOLF CLUB MEMBERS

FROM THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER.COM

By Kerry Singe

MOORESVILLE, North Carolina - The Trump Organisation is negotiating to buy the Point Lake and Golf Club, but some members are worried because so little information is being shared about the real estate mogul's plans.

Some club members fear that the deal is happening too quickly and that Trump could raise fees and change the intimate feel of their luxury community near Lake Norman.

On Thursday, Donald Trump's son Eric told the Charlotte Observer newspaper that the private, Greg Norman-designed golf course is beautiful and "has a lot of potential."

"I think money needs to be put in the course to really bring out that potential," Trump junior said. "It has a good feeling. It's well-designed. The place could be really special."

But a number of residents fear that they won't have enough time to vet a proposal and consider alternatives if necessary. The entire club will vote on any proposal. Some residents said they've been told that a proposal could be presented in February.

Among their concerns: Could Trump take the club public? Could he build casinos and hotels, raise fees or load the club with debt? Might some families be priced out of the Point?

Now, as a possible vote on a sale looms closer, tensions are rising among members.

"This could change our whole community overnight," said one resident who asked not to be identified out of fear of antagonising neighbours.

In a statement provided to the Charlotte Observer, the club's advisory board said that it plans to share "multiple presentations to the members where the pros and cons of continued ownership of the Club by the members or a possible sale to the Club will be presented and discussed.

"There will be plenty of time and opportunities for the members to learn about and debate these options."

The Point, off Brawley School Road in Mooresville, is owned by members but controlled by its developer, Crescent Communities. Crescent is due to transfer control to members at the end of the year.

The club's board of governors invited the Trumps, whose company owns 12 golf clubs/courses, to consider purchasing the Point more than two years ago.

With a reputation for being lavish and high-end of the market, Trump golf clubs often feature bright, open floor plans, ornate decorations and massive chandeliers. Equally upscale are the prices and fees the clubs charge, say people who have visited the property.

Trump junior said he and his father share a passion for golf and love building things and shaping land. They are currently building a high-profile and controversial golf project in Scotland, a few miles north of Aberdeen..

"We love making things amazing," said Trump junior.

The 900-lot Point golf course community was built by Crescent Resources in the late 1990s and has attracted NASCAR drivers, sports figures, medical professionals and executives from the nearby Lowe's Cos. headquarters. The median house size is 4,500 to 5,000 square feet, and the average lot size is an acre. In 2006, the average home price was more than $1 million.

With gray, Cape Cod-style buildings and streets named Easton and Moor's End, the community is themed as a Nantucket village. It offers club facilities, a tavern, a general store, a cobbler, a village green and a meeting house connected by a cobblestone road.

All homeowners must be club members and pay annual dues ranging from $6,000 to $18,000 in addition to initiation costs and other fees. More than 60 percent of club members hold an equity stake.

Trump junior said he and his father are not looking to buy development rights at the Point. The sale would be a strict golf play, he said.

Developers have typically coveted golf clubs to sell homes. United States developers with an interest in residential real estate built so many golf communities in the 1990s and early 2000s nationwide that it led to an oversupply, according to the National Golf Federation.

Add in the weak economy, and many clubs are losing members or earning less revenue as people play fewer rounds and spend less on food.

As a result, more "privately-owned" golf clubs in the States are offering themselves for sale.

Anytime a club faces an ownership change, residents have reason to be wary, said Jason Cox with the Carolinas Golf Association.

Of the growing number of clubs that have been sold in recent years, he said, almost all saw significant change.

Three years ago, for example, a company bought the Musgrove Mill Golf Club in Clinton, South Carolina. This year, the club and its Arnold Palmer-designed golf course were slated to be shut down because of money problems, Cox said. A woman who answered the phone at Musgrove Mill on Thursday said the club's owners were going to give the club a reprieve for a year.

When a new owner wants to spend money on a club, Cox said, members should ask how the owner plans to recoup the investment.

"All the properties we've heard that Trump has bought, he's turned them into an incredible facility," Cox said. "But it's definitely high end. And that high end comes with a high price tag."

OLIVER WILSON, NICK DOUGHERTY LOSE EUROPEAN TOUR CARDS

FROM THE SKY SPORTS WEBSITE
Former Ryder Cup player Oliver Wilson has lost his European Tour card, along with three-time winner on the tour, Nick Dougherty.

Englishmen Wilson, pictured, and Dougherty both missed the cut by one shot at the Hong Kong Open today - the season's final full-field event.

That means they will now finish outside the top 118 on the Race to Dubai money list and, in the process, lose their playing privileges for the 2012 season.

Wilson, who played in Europe's defeated side at the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla, loses his card for the first time since joining the circuit on a full-time basis in 2005.

Dougherty has endured a miserable season, making only one halfway cut - that coming at the Omega European Masters in Switzerland where he went on to finish in a tie for 45th.

The 29-year-old from Liverpool had previously won the 2005 Caltex Masters in Singapore, the 2007 Dunhill Links Championship and the 2009 BMW International Open.

Sic transit gloria.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES v SCOTLAND AT YAS LINKS TOMORROW

ABBREVIATED FROM THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE
Scotland’s leading male amateur golfers, currently in Abu Dhabi for warm weather training, will tomorrow (Saturday) face the United Arab Emirates  National Team in the inaugural Falcon Cup contest at Yas Links Golf Club.
Held the day after UAE National Day, the 36-hole one-day competition provides the opportunity for the leading players in the Emirates to take on some of the best amateurs representing Scotland, while also increasing the golfing bond between the two nations.
The UAE will be competing against some of Scotland’s up-and-coming stars, including the ever-improving Paul Shields, pictured, who went all the way to the all-Scottish final of the South African Amateur Championship in March before losing to Walker Cup star Michael Stewart. Shields’ team-mates include
Scott Crichton, who capped his 2011 season with victory in the internationally renowned amateur tournament the Cameron Corbett Vase; Fraser McKenna, runner-up at the 2008 British boys' championship; Daniel Kay, beaten finalist of the 2011 Scottish Amateur Championship; and Brian Soutar, who is a Scotland international.
The UAE will be represented by the UAE National Champion Abdalla Al Musharrekh alongside his younger brothers Hassan Al Mushareekh and Ahmed Al Musharrekh, Khalid Yousef, Faris Al Mazrui and Sohail Al Marzuki.
The UAE team has completed a very busy summer schedule where they finished in their highest position in the Nomura Cup (14th) in Fiji. They then went on to finish a creditable third in the Pan Arab Championships in Morocco.
The UAE National Team selected is:

Sohail Al Marzuki, Faris Al Mazrui, Abdalla Al Musharrekh, Ahmed Al Musharrekh, Hassan Al Musharrekh and Khalid Yousuf.

The Scotland National Team is:

Scott Crichton (Aberdour)
Daniel Kay (Dunbar)
Fraser McKenna (Balmore)
Conor O’Neil (Pollok)
Paul Shields (Kirkhill)
Brian Soutar (Leven GS).

Michael Stewart - still an amateur - among entries for Thailand Open

Walker Cup Scot Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck), still an amateur - he is down one place to No 14 in the R and A World Amateur Rankings this week - is listed as a Category 6 (invite) entry to the Asian Tour's Thailand Open at Amata Spring Country Club, Bangkok from December 15 to 18.

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PAUL LAWRIE-BACKED PAIR HAVE MIXED LUCK ON DAY 1 IN SPAIN

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com Paul Lawrie Foundation's Buchan loons, Philip McLean (Peterhead) and Fraserburgh's Kris Nicol, had mixed fortunes in the four-round European Tour Qualifying School Stage 2 tournaments which began at four Spanish venues today. McLean, pictured right, who says he will turn pro when this event is over, made a very good start with a two-under-par 70 to be lying joint seventh at Costa Ballena Golf Club near Cadiz. On the other hand, Nicol, competing at Las Colinas GC, near Alicante, had a three-over-par 74 to be joint 68th at the end of the first day. Roughly the leading 20 and ties from each of the four venues will go forward to the six-round Final Q School at PGA Catalunya, Girona from December 10 to 15. McLean dropped a shot at the second but he did not let that shake his confidence and covered the next 16 holes in three-under-par. He birdied the long eighth, the 13th and the short 16th. Philip is two shots behind the three joint leaders at this venue. A shot ahead of him on 69 and in joint fourth place is another Scot, Jack Doherty but McLean finished the day ahead of Raymond Russell (71), Scott Henry (71), Graham Fox (73), Jamie McLeary (73), Andrew McArthur (73) and Paul McKechnie (74) at Costa Ballena. Nicol shot four birdies - at the long third, short seventh, long 15th and long 18th at Las Colinas, near Alicante - but he had a double bogey 6 at the first and dropped shots at the second, sixth, short 10th, 12th and short 17th. Nicol has been playing so well of late - he won the Alps Tour Qualifying School, then the North-east Alliance at Newburgh-on-Ythan - that it's a shame his form has gone off the boil just when he needed it most. Let's hope it's just a temporary hitch.  Scots ahead of Nicol at Las Colinas are Elliot Saltman (67), Shaun McAllister (.69), Mark Kerr (70) and Chris Kelly (72). Four players share the lead on five-under 66. At El Valle, Fife amateur James White (Lundin) had a six-under 65 to be joint third after covering the inward nine holes in only 30 shots. At the same venue, Callum Macaulay (Tulliallan) had a 66 - he came back in 31 -  to be joint sixth and Glasgow-born Canadian Alan McLean a 70 for a share of 29th place. At the par-73 La Manga South Course venue, over 7,000yd long off the back tees, Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) had a 73 to be joint 35th while Murrayshall's Gavin Dear is in joint 47th place after a 74. Leading first-round scores at four Spanish venues COSTA BALLENA Par 72. Yardage 6,893 68 Wade Ormsby (Aus), Pedro Oriol (Spa), Peter Uihlein (US) (am). 69 Jack Doherty (Sco), Taco Remkes (Net), Sam Hutsby (Eng). Other Scots' scores: 70 Philip McLean (T7). 71 Raymond Russell, Scott Henry (T18). 73 Graham Fox, Jamie McLeary, Andrew McArthur (T37). 74 Paul McKechnie (T62). EL VALLE Par 71. Yardage 6,901 63 Joakim Lagergren (Swe). 64 Floris De Vries (Ne). 65 Mark Laskey (Wal), David J Smith (Eng), James White (Sco) (am). Other Scots' scores: 66 Callum Macaulay (T6). 70 Alan McLean (T29). LAS COLINAS Par 71. Yardage 6874 66 Morten Orum Madsen (Den), Le Rouox Ferreira (SAf), Antti Ahokas (Fin), Benn Barham (Eng), Andres Harto (Den). Scots' scores: 67 Elliot Saltman (T6). 69 Shaun McAllister (T20). 70 Mark Kerr (T27). 72 Chris Kelly (T62). 74 Kris Nicol (T68). LA MANGA SOUTH Par 73. Yardage 7,107 66 Allan Versfeld (SAf), Graeme A Clark (Eng). 67 Sion Bebb (Wal), Andrea Perrino (Ita). Scots' scores: 73 Neil Fenwick (T35). 74 Gavin Dear (T47)

GRAEME McDOWELL LEADS BY ONE IN NEDBANK CHALLENGE

FROM THE BBC SPORTS WEBSITE

Graeme McDowell took a one-shot lead at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City, South Africa, despite playing an air shot during his second round.

The Northern Irishman's five-under-par 67 contained seven birdies but also a double bogey on the par-five 14th where he hit a rock and missed the ball.

World number two Lee Westwood, German Martin Kaymer, Swede Robert Karlsson and American Jason Dufner are lying second on 68

Simon Dyson is on four under while world number one Luke Donald is two shots further back after a 72.

"That's exactly what I wanted," said McDowell. "It's a pretty bunched leaderboard, which says a lot about how tough the course is when you start leaving the beaten track.

"I'm very happy to finish with a couple of birdies after a bit of a whoopsie on the par five."

Masters champion Charl Schwartzel began the day tied for the lead with defending champion Westwood, but struggled to a 74 after running up a double-bogey six on the eighth.

Open champion Darren Clarke, who was last after the first round, moved above Francesco Molinari into 11th place in the select field after he fired a 69 and the Italian, last year's winner, slumped to a 77.

HALFWAY LEADERBOARD

Par 144 (2x72)

137 Graeme McDowell (N Ireland) 70 67.

138 Jason Dufner (United States) 70 68, Martin Kaymer (Germany) 70 68, Robert Karlsson (Sweden) 69 69, Lee Westwood (England) 68 70.

140 Kim Kyung-Tae (S Korea) 70 70, Simon Dyson (England) 70 70.
141 Anders Hansen (Denmark) 72 69, Luke Donald (England) 70 71.

142 Charl Schwartzel (S Africa) 68 74.

143 Darren Clarke (N Ireland) 74 69.

149 Francesco Molinari (Italy) 72 77.

McILROY AND QUIROS SHARE HONG KONG OPEN HALFWAY LEAD

    Rory McIlroy in action in Hong Kong Open today. Image courtesy of Getty Images(c)

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ASIAN TOUR

Hong Kong: An exhausted Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland battled to a one-under-par 69 to retain a share of the halfway lead with big-hitting Spaniard Alvaro Quiros at the UBS Hong Kong Open today.

Thai teenager Panuphol Pittayarat was hot on the leaders’ heels after an impressive five-under-par 65 at the Hong Kong Golf Club to lie one shot back with Aberdeen’s Richie Ramsay (66) in the US$2.75 million championship sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.

On a chilly day, two-time UBS Hong Kong Open champion Miguel Angel Jimenez stayed in the hunt with a 70, two back alongside another Thai, Pariya Junhasavasdikul and New Zealand’s Danny Lee, who matched Panuphol’s low round of 65.

World number two McIlroy staggered home with two bogeys late his round after threatening to pull away from the field. “Obviously it wasn't the way I wanted to finish. I could have had a good chance there to get to 10‑under par, and then to finish at seven-under is a bit disappointing. I hit a few loose shots coming in,” said McIlroy, the reigning U.S. Open champion with a two-day total of seven-under-par 133.

“It's something I'll have to try and eliminate tomorrow if I want to try and lead this golf tournament going into Sunday. I'm in the same position I was last night, but I feel like I could have definitely shot a few better today. If that's my worst round of the week, it's not too bad.”

McIlroy cited fatigue for his stumble down the stretch. He revealed he fell ill while on holiday in the Maldives two weeks ago and was put on a drip. “It could have been a bit of mental fatigue, a bit of physical fatigue. I don't feel as if I'm completely 100 per cent. I've just got to make sure that I have decent energy levels for the next two rounds,” said McIlroy, who fired four birdies against three bogeys.

Despite not liking the tight Fanling layout, the big-hitting Quiros stayed in contention for a sixth career victory, and a second of the season. Like McIlroy, he also traded four birdies against three dropped shots, and lamented two three-putt blemishes on the first and second holes.

“Unfortunately I haven't played as well as yesterday. Finishing with a bogey at the ninth, I flew it from the right rough, quite common with water in front, and a bit frustrated, but this is like this. Without these two three-putts, it was a proper number, nine under would be great.”

The 18-year-old Panuphol, nicknamed “Coconut” by his parents, shot three birdies and one eagle to charge into contention after entering the week as the third alternate. “I played well. Yeah, overall, my score came out great, and I had a good feeling about it. I was confident with my game today,” said Panuphol, who turned pro at a tender age of 14 as “I didn’t like school.”

“I haven't thought I would play well this week. I just barely got in on Tuesday. My goal was to make the cut and I'm up here now. So I'll try to keep it up on the weekend.”

Mixing with the world stars at Fanling has left him with no illusions that he will remain as the underdog in the UBS Hong Kong Open. “It takes a lot of pressure out of myself. I'm really happy playing in such a big event and it's my first year on the Asian Tour and playing the co-sanctioned tournaments. I really want to play well every week, and some weeks I just put too much pressure on myself,” said Panuphol, who is currently 54th on the Order of Merit.

After being out of the money in six of his last seven tournaments, Pariya, who enjoyed a career high last year with a maiden victory, found his groove, shooting four birdies on his back nine including a chip-in birdie at the last which sent the galleries roaring.

“It's been a long while. I haven't shot under par in a long while and today it was very good ball striking, good putting, nothing to complain about,” said the 27-year-old. “I almost stepped on my ball (on 18), and from there, I hacked it out, somehow it found the hole, found the bottom of the cup. It's pretty exciting.”

Gareth Maybin of Northern Ireland shot a hole in one on the fourth hole and won an Omega Aqua Terra Annual Calendar watch worth HKD154,200.

The halfway cut was set at 142 with 65 pros and local amateur Jason Hak making the weekend rounds.

Richie Ramsay bogeyed the fifth in his second round and then covered the next 13 holes in five under par with birdies at the sixth, ninth, 12th, 13th and 18 for halves of 34 and 32.

LEADING HALFWAY SCOREBOARD
Par 140 (2x70). Yardage 6,730
133 Alvaro QUIROS (ESP) 64-69, Rory MCILROY (NIR) 64-69.

134 Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) 69-65, Richie RAMSAY (SCO) 68-66.

135 Miguel Angel JIMENEZ (ESP) 65-70, Danny LEE (NZL) 70-65, Pariya JUNHASAVASDIKUL (THA) 70-65.

136 Marcus FRASER (AUS) 67-69, Soren KJELDSEN (DEN) 70-66, David HORSEY (ENG) 64-72, Martin WIEGELE (AUT) 67-69, Peter HANSON (SWE) 68-68.

137 Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) 68-69, Darren BECK (AUS) 66-71, Y.E. YANG (SKOR) 68-69, Berry HENSON (USA) 69-68.

138 Rafael CABRERA-BELLO (ESP) 69-69, Peter LAWRIE (IRL) 69-69, Juvic PAGUNSAN (PHI) 68-70, Stephen DODD (WAL) 70-68.

139 Gareth MAYBIN (NIR) 66-73, Jbe KRUGER (RSA) 72-67, Bernd WIESBERGER (AUT) 72-67, Gregory HAVRET (FRA) 70-69, David HOWELL (ENG) 69-70, Ian POULTER (ENG) 71-68, Jason KNUTZON (USA) 73-66, Paul LAWRIE (SCO) 69-70.

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES

141 Stephen Gallacher 69 72 (T38).

142 Colin Montgomerie 73 69, David Drysdale 73 69 (T53).

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LAIRD (77) AND CASEY (79) STRUGGLE IN CHEVRON CHALLENGE

FROM THE BBC SPORTS WEBSITE

South Korea's K J Choi birdied his first five holes on his way to a six-under 66 and a three-shot lead after the first round of the Chevron World Challenge.

Former world number one Tiger Woods, who has won this event four times, is tied for second with fellow American Steve Stricker on three under 69.

Woods birdied four of his first five holes and two more on the back nine but three bogeys checked his progress.

England's Paul Casey is last in the elite 18-man field on seven over par 79.

Casey birdied the first hole but a triple-bogey 8 on the par-five second followed and six more shots were dropped in his final six holes.

Scotland's Martin Laird also struggled in the windy conditions at Sherwood Country Club in California, bogeying eight holes as he recorded a five-over 77.

K J Choi won the first of his eight PGA Tour titles in 2002

Laird was playing alongside Choi and their rounds could not have been more different.

Choi opened with a quintet of birdies and sank another on the 13th to move to six under.

His only dropped shot came on the par-three 15th when he took three to get down from the fringe of the green but he immediately atoned for that with a birdie at the par-five 16th.

Woods also opened brightly, racing to four under par after five holes. A dropped shot on the ninth was regained on the 13th but consecutive bogeys on the 15th and 16th threatened to derail his round.

However, he drained a 15-foot putt on the 17th and two-putted for par on the last to remain firmly in contention.

Woods, without a win in two years, was joined on three under by world number six Stricker, the highest-ranked player in the field, who holed a 25-foot birdie putt on the last.

America's Matt Kuchar was handily placed at four under par on the 16th tee, but he walked off the green with a triple-bogey 8 after getting tangled in the rough.

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JAMES BYRNE BEATS THE CUT IN THE NEW ZEALAND OPEN

Banchory's James Byrne shot a two-under-par 70 in the second round to make the cut in the BMW New Zealand Open at Clearwater Golf Club, Christchurch. Five over par was the cut-off mark after 36 holes and the Walker Cup player cum rookie pro had a four-over-tally of 148 which placed him joint 49th.

Six over par after an opening 78, Byrne slipped to seven over when he bogeyed the second but then he got in the mood to beat the odds by birdieing the third, short fourth and fifth. A fourth birdie at the short 11th improved his overall position to only three over par and he was able to par in until finishing with a bogey for a 70.

So in his second round, James boosted his number of birdies from two to four compared with the first day and reduced his bogeys from six to twO.

FROM THE NEW ZEALAND OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP WEBSITE

Tauranga professional Josh Geary ground out an impressive four under par 68 in the blustery nor’ easterly wind to jump into a share of the lead at the BMW New Zealand Open after two rounds.

The 27-year-old, who was the leading kiwi at the 2010 New Zealand Open at The Hills, made six birdies and two bogeys to join 2002 champion Craig Parry and overnight joint leader Brad Kennedy in the clubhouse on five under par at the Clearwater Golf Club.

Geary, along with Doug Holloway only one shot back and Mahal Pearce four shots back, has the chance in Christchurch to end the eight year drought of a home champion at the BMW New Zealand Open.

The Nationwide Tour player made a crucial birdie on the 17th hole to get back to five under and was happy with his round that has him in contention heading into the weekend.

“I got off to a good start - I was four-under through six,” he said.

“It was nice and calm and I thought it was going to be a nice day but it started blowing a bit and it got harder and harder. Some of those holes into the wind you had to grind it out to make par.

“It was pretty solid today. I was good off the tees, I hit some good iron shots and I putted good. It showed some good signs.”

Geary has a good record at the Clearwater Golf Club – he finished second here in 2009 in the New Zealand PGA Championship – and believes the course suits his eye.

“To be honest the first few times I played it I wasn’t a huge fan. I liked it but it wasn’t one of my favourites. I don’t know what it is but I have played well here. I am starting to like it more and more I guess.”

The 2002 winner Parry, who is known as “Popeye” for his massive forearms, came home in style, birdieing the final three holes to jump into a share of the lead.

“The only advantage I have over a lot of the other guys is that I have already won a New Zealand Open so the pressure is on them,” said the 45-year-old.

“I really haven’t played much this year so my expectations aren’t as great as what everyone else is. I am just happy to be playing well.

“Any time you get within contention of a national open you get excited and it’s fantastic. I have always loved coming and playing in New Zealand anyway and so to have a chance of getting another one is great.”

Kennedy, who was the joint overnight leader with Jim Cusdin, backed up his four under 68 with a one under 71 this afternoon in Christchurch. He rued a bogey on the 18th that saw him lose the outright lead.

Holloway was also disappointed with bogeying his final hole of the day – the par 3 9th – but overall satisfied with his one under 71 in the wind. He has nothing but respect for his experienced rivals ahead of him. But he feels like he is not a young gun anymore.

“Compared to most of the young guys I am getting quite old too,” joked the 28-year-old.

“Craig Parry is obviously a phenomenal player and Brad is a good player too.”

“Their experience is going to help. I have had some experience but not at this level this close to the lead.

“My focus does not change a lot really. I’ll just keep chipping away, playing like I’ve been playing and hopefully come Sunday I will have a chance. I will just try and do my thing and hopefully get close.”

Waikato professional Cusdin had a day he’d rather forget as he undid all of the good work from his four under 68 in round one with a five over 77 in the benign morning conditions.

The 2003 champion Pearce, who is the last Kiwi to win the event, made a costly double bogey at the 18th that saw him drop back to one under par.

A trio of Aussies, led by amateur Jake Higginbottom, took advantage of the still conditions in the morning when he carded a four under par 68 to get to four under and the lead at that stage.

“The conditions were perfect for scoring,” said the 18-year-old from Sydney.

“You couldn’t get much better especially compared with yesterday when it was pretty tough.

“You could play normal shots today rather than controlled shots with the conditions. I could read the greens a little bit better today. We definitely fed off each other. Terry [Pilkadaris] holed a few putts early and you get a bit of momentum if everyone is playing good in the group.”

Pilkadaris signed for a four under 68 to get into a share of ninth and Crawford had a 69 to be one shot further back.

At the other end of the leaderboard there were a number of high profile players who were relieved to make the weekend cut mark of five over par.

Phil Tataurangi, who was the second highest Kiwi at the last New Zealand Open, snuck inside the mark as did New Zealand’s leading amateur Ryan Fox who birdied the last.

Highly rated Aussie professionals Ryan Heller, Adam Bland, Scott Arnold, who is a former World Number One amateur, and former champion Terry Price are all on their way home.

The 2000 New Zealand Open champion Michael Campbell struggled again today in the wind and carded rounds of 77 and 79 for a disappointing 12 over par total.

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