Shenzhen, China (SportsNetwork.com) – Peter Uihlein posted a 4-under 68 on
Friday and moved into the lead after the second round of the inaugural
Shenzhen International.
The American completed 36 holes at 9-under-par 135.
Kiradech Aphibarnrat carded a 3-under 69 to end two rounds at minus-8 at
Genzon Golf Club.
Emiliano Grillo shared low round of the day honors with his 5-under 67. He
jumped into a share of third place alongside Gregory Havret (68), Matt Ford
(69) and Darren Fichardt (70).
Matteo Manassero (70) headlines a group of four players tied for seventh place
at 5-under-par 139.
Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson stumbled to a 2-over 74. He fell into a
share of 42nd place at even-par 144.
“It’s tough. I haven’t played very well. I haven’t putted very well. But it’s
a beautiful golf course,” said Watson.
Uihlein took advantage of the par-5s on Friday to move into the lead. He
parred three holes in a row from the 10th to open his round before carding his
first birdie at the par-5 13th.
The 2013 Madeira Islands Open winner stumbled to a bogey at the 15th. He
erased that mistake with a birdie at the par-5 17th.
Around the turn, Uihlein birdied the par-5 second to move to 7-under. He
parred the next three, then dropped in a birdie effort at the sixth. Uihlein
grabbed the lead as he capped his round with a birdie on the par-5 ninth.
“It was tricky today. The wind was swirling quite a bit,” Uihlein stated. “I
got the back nine out of the way pretty quickly. I played very solid. I felt
like getting anything under-par on the back nine was nice, and I played a
pretty stress free front nine, which is always good.”
Aphibarnrat, who also started on No. 10 on Friday, tripped to a bogey at the
12th, but came right back with a birdie at No. 13. He parred the final five
holes of his opening nine.
The 2013 Malaysian Open champion birdied the first and third, both for the
second day in a row, to move to minus-7.
Aphibarnrat birdied the sixth to get to 8-under. He faltered to a bogey at the
eighth, but quickly atoned for that error with a birdie at the ninth.
“It was a great round. Again, the wind was getting up on a few holes before I
finished, but the way I was striking the ball is still very good,” Aphibarnrat
said.
NOTES: Uihlein has had the 36-hole lead twice previously in the European Tour,
but failed to hold either lead … First-round leader Wen-yi Huang stumbled to
a 2-over 74 and dropped into a tie for 11th at 4-under-par 140 … Niclas
Fasth carded a hole-in-one on the par-3 third … Byeong-Hun An, who shared
second place after the first round, withdrew due to a neck injury and Paul
Waring withdrew with a shoulder injury … The cut line fell at 2-over-par 146
with 67 players moving on to the weekend … Among those that missed the cut
were Alejandro Canizares, Oliver Fisher, Peter Hanson, Peter Lawrie, Robert
Karlsson and Nicolas Colsaerts.
