Soderberg leads after Volvo China Open second round

SHENZHEN: Sebastian Soderberg seized the frontrunner position at the Volvo China Open second round here on Friday, as 68 players advanced to the weekend rounds, having made the cut at three under par.

The Swede finished the round as the sole leader, scoring 16 under par. Paul Waring claimed second place, ending the day at 13 under par, while Guido Migliozzi secured third place with a score of 12 under. In a three-way tie for fourth place at 11 under are Gordon Brixi, Adrian Otaegui, and Joel Girrbach, reported Xinhua.

Reflecting on his performance, Soderberg expressed, "It's been two very good days, but we're halfway through the tournament and, as soft as it is, it's very scoreable. I think the challenge is that you have to hit it quite straight off the tee. I wouldn't say I'm too relaxed, but it's a nice position to be in."

With back-to-back second-place finishes during the Asian swing, Soderberg's confidence remains high. However, as he approaches the weekend, he remains committed to staying present and positive. "I feel very confident. The pressure is a lot higher when we're leading heading into the weekend. Keeping my emotions in check is important, and being in this position for a few weeks is going to help me, hopefully," Soderberg said.

England's Waring also climbed the leaderboard in the morning, shooting seven under par. He believed the course complements his style of play, providing ample opportunities to maintain his aggressiveness. Waring noted, "The course is quite soft, and the greens aren't spinning too much, so you can be quite aggressive, especially off the tee. Knowing that the scores are low, you've got to keep going, hit one shot at a time, and build the momentum."

In the afternoon, Migliozzi delivered a strong performance, shooting five under par. Reflecting on his round, the Italian said, "It's been another great day on the golf course. My game is feeling good; I'm playing better and striking the ball the way I prefer. I'm happy, having fun on the course, and it's good to be in the mix after two days."

Local favorite and former champion, Li Haotong, garnered significant attention throughout the course. Despite initial difficulties, including landing in the water on the second hole, he finished the front nine with consecutive birdies, entering the weekend with a score of six under.

Fellow former champion, Wu Ashun, finished the day three under, bringing his total for the tournament to five under par. Despite a challenging start, he rallied with four birdies over the last nine holes. "I'm glad I pulled through. I'll be aiming for a more consistent performance tomorrow," said the veteran Chinese golfer.