Taiwan’s Lin Wen-tang fired a sparkling eight-under-par 64 to take the second round clubhouse lead in the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters on Friday.
Rising French star Victor Dubuisson, the highest ranked player in the $750,000 Asian Tour event at 23 in the world, improved from a disappointing first round with a three-under-par 69 but still trailed the leading pack.
Lin, a six-time Asian Tour winner, is the man to catch when play resumes Saturday. He marked his card with nine birdies against one lone bogey to take the lead with a two-day total of 10-under-par 134.
Bad weather brought a halt to the day’s action at 5:00 pm and 19 players will now have to return to the Royale Jakarta Golf Club to resume their round early Saturday.
Australian rookie Cameron Smith continued to impress in what is only his second start on the Asian Tour by carding a 67 to trail Lin by one. Nicholas Fung battled to a 69 to share third place with Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat.
Lin was forced to withdraw from an event in Malaysia last week because of heat and fatigue. But having taken a break, the 40-year-old bounced back.
“I wasn’t feeling very well coming to this week. I had to withdraw from the tournament in Malaysia last week because the weather was just too hot,” he said, according to an Asian Tour press release.
But he said he felt better after resting and added: “I guess I had an advantage today because the weather was cooler when I started in the morning.”
Dubuisson had a two-day total of one-under-par 143 and was in joint 38th place.
Leading scores after round two of the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters (par 72):
134 – Lin Wen-tang (TPE) 70-64
135 – Cameron Smith (AUS) 68-67
136 – Chapchai Nirat (THA) 68-68, Nicholas Fung (MAS) 67-69
137 – S.S.P Chowrasia (IND) 71-66
138 – Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 68-70, Chan Kim (USA) 69-69
Selected scores:
143 – Victor Dubuisson(FRA) 74-69, Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 71-72
144 – Arjun Atwal (IND) 70-74