JAKARTA, March 23, 2012 (AFP) - New Zealand golfer David Smail produced a tidy second round on Friday to take the halfway lead in the US$1 million Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open.
Smail fired a three-under-par 69 as the majority of the field struggled to get to grips with fast greens, narrow fairways and thick rough at the Emeralda Golf Club.
However, the demanding layout proved no trouble for Australian left-hander Nick Cullen, who carded a 66 and the lowest round of the week.
Smail leads at seven-under-par 137 after two rounds, one stroke ahead of Cullen who is a shot ahead of American David Oh, Australia's Jamie Arnold, and Yoshikazu Hazu from Japan.
"The score was good but I didn't play as well as yesterday," said 41-year-old Smail, who shot 68 on the opening day.
"Maybe there was a lack of concentration at times. I wasn't quite as focused as yesterday," added the New Zealand player who scored five birdies and two bogeys, putting him within grasp of his first tournament victory since 2005.
"It would be nice to win again as it has been a while," he said.
"I have been knocking on the door quite a bit with a few seconds and thirds a few years ago. It would be nice to get one that is for sure."
Cullen recorded a blemish-free round with two birdies on the front nine and and four on the back.
"I struck it pretty well today. I hit 14 fairways and 15 greens and I just kept it in play," said the 27-year-old who had three months out of the game last year with a back injury.
Elsewhere, Japanese star Hiroyuki Fujita, an 11 time winner on the Japan Golf Tour (JGTO) came in with a 71 and is four off the lead.
Indonesia's top golfer Rory Hie, who finished second in the event last year, carded a 70 and is one under for the tournament.
Defending champion Thaworn Wiratchant from Thailand returned a 71 and is two over.
The cut for the tournament, which is jointly sanctioned by OneAsia and the JGTO and is the opening event of the season for both circuits, was put at plus five.
Leading scores after two rounds:
Par 72
137 - David Smail (NZL) 68 69
138 - Nick Cullen (AUS) 72 66
139 - David Oh (USA) 72 67, Jamie Arnold (AUS) 71 68, Yoshikazu Haku
(JPN) 70 69
140 - Kim Meen-whee (KOR) 70 70
141 - Hu Mu (CHN) 73 68, Hiroyuki Fujita (JPN) 70 71, Satoshi Tomiyama
(JPN) 71 70, Scott Arnold (AUS) 72 69
142 - Prayad Marksaeng (THA) 74 68, Stephen Leaney (AUS) 72 70, Liang
Wenchong (CHN) 69 73, Masaya Tomida (JPN) 72 70
143 - Daniel Fox (AUS) 73 70, Rory Hie (INA) 73 70, Mamo Osanai (JPN)
71 72, Park Eun-shin (KOR) 74 69, Ryan Haller (AUS) 73 70, Kazuhiro
Yamashita (JPN) 70 73, Jay Choi (US) 71 72, Naoto Nakanishi (JPN) 72 71