Yang and Chia set target

By Andrew Mullen, Press Association Sport, Hong Kong Last updated: 13th November 2009

PGA Championship winner YE Yang and Malaysia's Danny Chia set the clubhouse lead at seven-under-par midway through a second round of the UBS Hong Kong Open.

With damp overcast morning conditions making scoring tough, Chia carded a four-under-par 66, while Yang battled to a 67 at Hong Kong Golf Club.

Robert-Jan Derksen had yet to begin his second round challenge from seven under following his opening round 63.

"The temperature dropped a bit more than I am used to in Hong Kong. It caused a little bit of difficulty trying to find the distance and it was also a bit dark," said Korean Yang.

"The greens were fast but the lighting wasn't as good and they were also dark because of the moisture so they were hard to read."

With the short and technical Fanling course ideally suiting his game, Ireland's Peter Lawrie followed up his opening 66 with a second round two under 68 to join 2008 Indian Masters champion SSP Chowrasia (69) at six-under-par.

"The ball was flying nowhere this morning," said Lawrie, who carded five brides against three bogeys.

"The course is short and you have to hit it in the right place so it suits my game.

"I am playing nicely, I hit 17 greens yesterday and hit quite a few today."

Graeme Storm, Pablo Larrazabal and Simon Dyson all carded three under rounds of 67 to improve to five under in a group which also includes Graeme McDowell and Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Thongchai Jaidee.

"I played a little more solid this morning, but it has been two very different days," said McDowell after shipping just one bogey during his second round.

"Yesterday was hot and the ball was flying and the course was there for the taking and I didn't quite take it. This morning the course played unbelievably long with the overnight rain and colder temperatures and the wind was switching round, the course was definitely playing a couple of clubs different."

First round leader Udorn Duangdecha tumbled down the leaderboard as the Thai failed to follow his storming 62 with a four-over-par 74 which included four bogeys and a double-bogey.

Andrew Mullen, Press Association Sport, Hong Kong