Shah Alam [SELANGOR]: Bernd Wiesberger became the first man to sink nine consecutive birdies on the Asian Tour and European Tour as he seized a one-shot halfway lead at the Maybank Championship on Friday.
The towering Austrian got hot from the seventh hole to 15th hole at the Saujana Golf and Country Club to shoot a spectacular nine-under-par 63 for a 12-under-par 132 aggregate in the US$3 million co-sanctioned tournament.
Masters Tournament champion Danny Willet of England, who at 15th in the world is the highest ranked player in the field, surged into contention with a 67 to trail Wiesberger heading into the weekend rounds.
Asia’s challenge was carried by Indian prospect Shubhankar Sharma and Korean star K.T. Kim, who both shot 68s to share fifth place, four shots off the pace.
A further stroke back and bunched on 138 include the likes of 2015 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Anirban Lahiri of India (68), countryman Shiv Kapur (67) and Hong Kong Open champion Sam Brazel of Australia (71).
The 31-year-old Wiesberger, who has won in Indonesia and Korea previously, finished runner-up in his last visit to Malaysia two years ago and his career equaling low round has set him up for fourth European Tour title. ~ ASIAN TOUR
Leading second round scores (Par-72)
132 – Bernd Wiesberger (AUT) 69-63
133 – Danny Willett (ENG) 66-67
135 – David Lipsky (USA) 68-67, Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA) 70-65
136 – Shubhankar Sharma (IND) 68-68, K.T. Kim (KOR) 68-68
137 – Marcel Siem(GER) 66-71, Sam Brazel (AUS) 66-71, Shiv Kapur (IND) 70-67, Anirban Lahiri (IND) 69-68, Matteo Manassero (ITA) 71-66, Alexander Levy (FRA) 69-68, James Morrison (ENG) 70-67
