SHANGHAI: Fredrik Jacobson played bogey-free to shoot a 6-under 66 on Friday and take a one-stroke lead on the soft Sheshan International course at the HSBC Champions.
Under a heavy, overcast sky on a course that was softened by rain earlier in the week, Jacobson finished a solid round by hitting a 3-iron into the par-4 ninth for a final birdie.
He was at 11-under 133, tying the 36-hole tournament record, and was one shot ahead of Louis Oosthuizen and Adam Scott. PGA champion Keegan Bradley made two key par saves on the back round when his game started to get away from him and salvaged a 70 to stay in the picture just two shots behind.
Oosthuizen and Scott each birdied half of their holes and were flawless from tee-to-green. Oosthuizen avoided trouble and posted a tournament-best 63, while Scott had two bogeys in his round of 65.
Sixteen players were separated by five shots going into the weekend, a group that included Lee Westwood, Malaysia winner Bo Van Pelt and Paul Casey, who lost his PGA Tour card in an injury-filled season and now has a chance to get it back by winning.
Jeev,Chowrasia fall
Indian golfers Jeev Milkha Singh and SSP Chowrasia fell further down the ladder with disappointing second round cards in the WGC-HSBC Champions here today. Jeev shot one-over 73 and dropped to one-over 145 for two rounds at tied 53rd place. Chowrasia (74) was down to 63rd with a total of three-over 147.
Among other leading players, US Open Rory McIlroy (70-69) and Masters champion Charl Schwartzel (70-69) — at 139 — were tied 17th. (Agencies)
