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Paul Ryding

Wade Ormsby maintained his lead at the top of the Hong Kong Open leader board after round two on Friday, and opened up an impressive two-stroke gap at the halfway point.
Players have said repeatedly this week that anything in double figures will be competitive come Sunday evening. Ormsby was almost there by Friday afternoon.
The 2017 champion picked up where he left off after round one and was quickly to his task following his early morning tee-time. Birdies at 14 and 15 (after starting at 11) set him on his way. Two more on the back nine turned him into the heavy favourite to take a second Hong Kong title this weekend.
By lunchtime, the Australian was comfortably back in the clubhouse signing for a 66, which moved him to nine-under par for the tournament.

What's happening on Day 2 of #TheHKOpen? Keeping you updated, here's Kate with a rundown...#CelebratingChampions | #Since1959 | @asiantourgolf | #whereitsAT pic.twitter.com/IdUSmirA1N
— Hong Kong Open (@TheHKOpen) January 10, 2020

“I’m playing well,” Ormsby said. ”Sometimes it’s tricky being out in the lead but luckily I’m playing good and I’ll just try to stretch that.
“You rock up to any week and half the field is playing pretty good, and it’s those guys who can putt good and think good who will be in contention.




















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Love this place.... @hkgolfclub @asiantour @titleist @titleist_anz @titleistukireland @footjoyeurope @oscarjacobsongolf
A post shared by Wade Ormsby (@wadeormsbygolf) on Jan 10, 2020 at 1:44am PST



“The margins between the first and last guy [in the field] isn’t that big, everyone’s capable of winning it’s just a matter of getting your game in the right spot. At the moment I’m doing a few things right.”
Ormsby made the most of the favourable morning conditions, but players reported the course as eminently more playable throughout the day as the projected cut got shorter and shorter.
Ormsby held a joint lead with Tomoharu Otsuki overnight and talked about maintaining his form through the weekend. By the end of the second round, the Japanese had fallen by the wayside and now the Australian leads SSP Chawrasia by two strokes after the Indian emerged from the pack to shoot the best round of the weekend so far, a seven-under par 63.

Ormsby’s knock was matched by several in the field, who also took advantage of the calmer conditions. One of their number was star attraction Shane Lowry, who moved ominously into striking distance after an assured round.
“I’m pretty happy,” Lowry said. “Any day you shoot 66 is pretty good, especially when you’re on a tricky golf course, so I’m happy where I am going into the weekend. I’m only a few back.”
The British Open champion clearly enjoyed the Fanling conditions on Friday, but struck a cautionary note for the weekend.
“The course is starting to firm up so you need to be a little bit more precise with your iron shots. It’s going to get trickier over the weekend. When these greens get firm, you really, really need to hit fairways. So it will be tricky out there tomorrow but I’m looking forward to it,” he added.

Also well in contention after round two is Asian player of the year Jazz Janewattananond. Playing alongside the Open champion, the Thai sensation played beautifully with just one blemish on his card in a 66 that gave him a share of third place.
“This is new territory for me,” said the world No 40. “It’s a first cut for me in Hong Kong in a while. Usually other golf courses, I will know where the pin would be at and how the course would be set up for the weekend, but in Hong Kong it’s new for me.”
The top-ranked player in Hong Kong this weekend, Tony Finau, found himself in a share of 24th place after a second straight round of one-under par 69. He has work to do on the weekend if he wants to be in with a shot at a first Asian Tour title.

“I hit it better today, but the putter wasn’t quite as good as yesterday so we’ve got to get one of those days when we get both things going,” Finau said.
“We still got 36 holes of golf. Looking at some of the guys who are going low, there are some low numbers out there and I want to be one of them.”
If Ormsby’s Saturday is similar to his first two rounds, it may require substantially more than a low score to catch the Aussie.


Hong Kong Open: dominant Reed strolls to title, equals record for lowest score at Fanling

Hong Kong Open: Patrick Reed takes charge at Fanling with remarkable 59, has 3-shot lead

Hong Kong Open: leader Ben Campbell has chance to make history, with city duo in the running

Hong Kong Open: Nitithorn seals early lead with sand save fit for event’s storied 18th

Hong Kong Open

Hong Kong Open: Wade Ormsby the man to beat at mid-way point as Shane Lowry lingers in striking distance

Australia’s Wade Ormsby shakes hands with his caddie after the second round of the Hong Kong Open at Fanling. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Shane Lowry

Tony Finau lines up a shot at the Hong Kong Open in Fanling on Friday. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Jazz Janewattananond

After 13 years and 264 attempts, Wade Ormsby ends wait for European Tour glory with thrilling Hong Kong Open win

Wade Ormsby celebrates his groundbreaking victory in the Hong Kong Open. Photos: Richard Castka

Wade Ormsby of Australia during the final round of the UBS Hong Kong Open on 26 November 2017 at the Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling, New Territories, Hong Kong. Mandatory credit: Richard Castka/Sportpixgolf.com

Rafa Cabrera Bello of Spain during the final round of the UBS Hong Kong Open on 26 November 2017 at the Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling, New Territories, Hong Kong. Mandatory credit: Richard Castka/Sportpixgolf.com

UBS Hong Kong Open

Hong Kong Open: Ormsby and Otsuki fire up day one as draw cards Lowry and Finau fail to sparkle

Australian former champion Wade Ormsby is leading the field after the first round of the Hong Kong Open. Photos: K.Y. Cheng

Jazz

Otsuki

Tony Finau

Sport

Hong Kong


Australian Ormsby holds a two-shot lead at the halfway point of the Hong Kong Open.
Lowry makes a big move up the leader board with a fine 66



Australian Ormsby holds a two-shot lead at the halfway point of the Hong Kong Open, as Lowry makes a big move up the leader board with a fine 66.


Hong Kong Golf Association (HKGA)

Asian Tour

DP World Tour

PGA Tour

Hong Kong Open: Wade Ormsby the man to beat at mid-way point as Shane Lowry lingers in striking distance

Australian Ormsby holds a two-shot lead at the halfway point of the Hong Kong Open. Lowry makes a big move up the leader board with a fine 66

Australian Ormsby holds a two-shot lead at the halfway point of the Hong Kong Open.

Lowry makes a big move up the leader board with a fine 66