Round-up: Colin Montgomerie insists he and Scotland partner Marc Warren are exactly where they want to be as they remain in contention for a maiden World Cup title at the end of the second round at Mission Hills yesterday.
The duo are looking to make up for the disappointment of missing out last year when they were beaten in a play-off by Germany at the WGC World Cup in Barbados.
And they remain on track after coming through yesterday's tricky foursomes round relatively unscathed to card a four-under-par 68 for a halfway total of 13-under-par 131.
They are just one shot behind leaders USA and are alongside England's Justin Rose and Ian Poulter.
"I think we played well again," said Montgomerie. "We would have taken 68 at the start of the day."
The American pair of Boo Weekley and Heath Slocum once again led the way after a three-under-par 69 ensured a 14-under 130 going into the weekend.
Ireland's Michael Hoey and Gareth Maybin are tied for 15th after carding a level-par 72 for 138. They could have fared even better but for a double bogey on the 12th and are six under overall going into the weekend.
Montgomerie and Warren picked up enough birdies to ensure their two bogeys did not hurt them too much.
Picking up their first birdie on the fourth they then bogeyed the short par-three fifth but further birdies on the seventh and ninth ensured they kept in touch at the top at the turn.
They immediately bogeyed the 10th but clawed back shots on the 555-yard 15th and 18th to ensure they are in a good position when they switch back to fourballs today.
England, meanwhile, climbed to the top of the leaderboard midway through their round after an impressive run on the front nine, carding four birdies before adding another on the 10th.
But they slipped to joint second place after bogeying the 17th to card a respectable four-under 68.
ASIAN TOUR: Thailand took a share of the spotlight when leading stewards Chawalit Plaphol and Boonchu Ruangkit recorded a five-under-par 67 and two-under-par 70 respectively to share the second round lead with Simon Griffiths of England in the Vietnam Masters in Hanoi.
Griffiths produced another impressive performance as he battled for a share of the second round lead with a two-under-par 70 at the Hanoi Phoenix Golf Resort yesterday.
Chawalit took full advantage of the strength of his short game to grab an early lead with a blemish-free round of 67 for a 138 total while golden oldie Boonchu survived two bogey scares on the 10th and 18th holes to record a similar score.
Paul McGinley improved by seven shots on his first round with a 67 for 141. After six bogeys in a first round 74, McGinley shot a blemish free 67 yesterday that included birdies at the first and eighth in a first nine of 34 and three more on a homeward journey of 33 at the 12th, 15th and 17th.
McIlroy moves into third place
Teenage rookie Rory McIlroy produced a three-under-par second round to take a share of third place, four shots off the lead, in the Mastercard Masters in Melbourne.
After a first round of 70 McIlroy followed with a 69 yesterday to move to five under, behind leader Robert Allenby and his Australian compatriot Aaron Baddeley.
McIlroy carded six birdies, dropping only three shots on the fourth, 11th and 18th holes to join Terry Pilkadaris, Rick Kulacz and Scott Strange and Swede Daniel Chopra in third plac.
Damien McGrane was on one-under- par 143 after rounds of 72 and 71.
Allenby had to settle for a round of four-under-par 68 after making his only bogey of the day on the 18th to reach the halfway stage at nine-under 135.
Baddeley closed to within a stroke after shooting 66.
