Red-hot putter puts Macpherson ahead of pack

By China Daily | China Daily | Updated: 2018-09-08 07:26

Australia's Bryden Macpherson fired a sizzling 8-under 64 in Friday's second round to move to 10-under and a one-stroke lead at the halfway stage of the Qinhuangdao Championship, the 11th event of this year's PGA Tour Series-China.

Macpherson, who won the order of merit in 2015 and returned to the Web.com Tour in 2016, fired eight birdies in a bogey-free round as he looks for his first win on the tour this year.

Order of merit leader Charlie Saxon shot 67 at Qinhuangdao Poly Golf Club to share second with fellow American Joseph Winslow (66) at 9-under, one ahead of England's Stephen Lewton (69) and Hong Kong's Shunyat "Jason" Hak (67).

England's Adam Sagar carded a 69 to sit sixth at 7-under, two shots ahead of rising Chinese star "Carl" Yuan Yechun (69) and compatriot Yang Yinong (68), Korean duo Jeong Dae-jin (67) and Cha Seong-keun (68), and Australia's Max McCardle (71).

"I like the way the course plays," Macpherson said of the 7,185-yard layout.

"It makes you hit a few shots and it makes you play all the way until the end. There's no real let-up where you can just go into cruise control. Start to finish, it's pretty difficult.

"It's been kind of a strange year because I haven't played that well results-wise, but I actually feel better about my all-round game then I ever have."

Saxon, who leads the order of merit after two wins and three top-10 finishes, was also bogey-free as he fired five birdies on a course the big-hitting American believes plays to his strengths.

"I'm hitting a lot of low, stinging 2-irons that are running and putting me in position to have short irons into the green," said Saxon.

"I really like that style of golf. Anything that caters for ball-strikers is good for me.

"I'm playing really well and I feel very comfortable out there.

"I just hope I can get a couple of putts to go in. If I do that, I like my chances for the weekend."

Any player ranked in the top 25 after the Qinhuangdao Championship earns an exemption to the second stage of the Web.com Tour qualifying tournament, from Oct 30-Nov 2 and Nov 6-9.

From the final order of merit, the top five will earn status on next year's Web.com Tour.

Players in the top 10 are exempt to the final stage of the Web.com Tour qualifying tournament from Dec 6-9, and any player ranked 11-25 is exempt to the second qualifying stage.