European Tour

HONMA Hong Kong Open 2018

November 22-25

Hong Kong Golf Club

$2,000,000

Live Leaderboard

November 22-25

Hong Kong Golf Club

$2,000,000

Live Leaderboard

Round 2

Rai dominates to lead at halfway stage in Hong Kong

Round 1

Round 2

Round 4

Round 1

Round 2

Round 4

November 23, 2018

Aaron Rai produced a course-record 61 at Hong Kong Golf Club to open up a commanding four-shot lead on day two of the HONMA Hong Kong Open presented by Amundi.

- Getty Images

“We were lucky today with the conditions. We didn't have much wind and starting out pretty early the first nine holes, it feels like you're playing a round at home, which is nice. Kept it in play. Had a lot of chances and made a lot of putts. Everything was on song today."

“Wasn't really out of position all day to be honest. That may have been the only missed green. To be able to get up and down there and keep things going is always nice, and stayed bogey free today and also yesterday is a nice thing going into the weekend."

That impressive total left the three-time Challenge Tour winner four shots clear of closest challenger Hyowon Park following the South Korean's bogey-free 62.

“I'm very happy now," said Park. "I played well in my first European Tour tournament. Today, tough conditions here, so my long game is very nice, driver and second shot were good, and putting was nice. I will do same thing on the weekend, so I can go more up the leaderboard.”

Rai, who is still searching for his maiden European Tour win, started the day in a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard alongside Scrivener and Yusaku Miyazato on five under par after opening up with a bogey-free 65 on Thursday.

Matt Fitzpatrick was on his own in third place, two shots further back on eight under, after the Englishman made five birdies in his last eight holes on his way to a spotless 62 of his own.

“ It's been probably five or six weeks where it's just felt, it's kind of coming, but I've never really gotten a run, and today I just sort of got on a run and kept it going. Played really solid. Played really, really solid."

“I don't think I missed a fairway, so that's the massive key around here because you put it in the rough and it's a guaranteed flyer pretty much. Hit every fairway and then just made sure to get every green to give myself a chance at putting. I feel like I'm putting all right at the minute, so it came together."

Micah Lauren Shin was at seven under, with Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood, Spain's Alvaro Quiros, Brazilian Adilson da Silva and Australians Jake Higginbottom, Jason Scrivener and Scott Hend another shot behind.

Masters Tournament winner Patrick Reed produced six birdies in his final seven holes on Friday to get to level par and guarantee he makes the weekend.