American Brian Locke edged two shots clear of the pack at the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) MIDF-KLGCC Masters which has been reduced to a 54-hole tournament following another day of inclement weather in the Malaysian capital on Saturday.

Locke returned to the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club’s East course in the morning to complete his second round in three-under-par 68 at the RM180,000 (approximately US$60,000) Asian Development Tour (ADT) event.

He then played three holes of the third round in the afternoon which was subsequently suspended in the evening due to a lightning storm. Officials later declared that the tournament would be played over three rounds, with the players resuming the third and final round at 7.20am on Sunday.

Locke, who was the first round leader, was even par through three holes in the third round to remain at seven-under-par for the tournament but England’s Peter Richardson, who is currently second on the ADT Order of Merit, Chinese Taipei’s Hsu Mong-nan, fourth on the rankings, and Filipino newcomer Carl Santos-Ocampo were two shots back in tied second place.

Richardson, who triumphed in the PGM ADT Masters in A’Famosa in Malaysia earlier this year, returned in the morning to complete his second round in 68 to trail Locke by two shots after 36 holes. He is bidding to stay in the top-three of the rankings which will guarantee players with Asian Tour cards in 2013.

Hsu is also pushing hard to break into the top three as there is one event remaining on the ADT Schedule after this week’s PGM-MIDF-KLGCC Masters.

Chinese Taipei’s Chang Tse-peng was a further stroke behind in fifth place on four-under through three holes of his third round while Hong Kong’s Nick Redfern stood at two-under-par through three holes.

Leading second round scores
135: Brian Locke (USA) 67-68
137: Peter Richardson (ENG) 69-68
138 – Chang Tse-peng TPE (TPE) 68-70, Hsu Mong-nan (TPE) 68-70, Carl Santos-Ocampo (PHI) 70-68, Nick Redfern (ENG) 69-69
140: R. Nachimuthu 68-72, James Byrne (SCO) 71-69, Lindsay Renolds (CAN) 70-70, Airil Rizman Zahari 72-68, Iain Steel 68-72
141: Daniel Ng 72-69, Chiang Chen-chih (TPE) 68-73, Mohd Hafiy Suhaili 73-68
142: Kim Gi-whan (KOR) 71-71, Kenneth De Silva 75-67, Simon Griffiths (ENG) 73-69
143: Low Khai Jei (A) MAS 73-70, Tommy Mansuwan (THA) 73-70