Seven tie for lead in Hong Kong

Norwegian Henrik Bjornstad and India's Asian Tour leader Jyoti Randhawa both hit seven-under-par 62s to join five other players for a share of the lead at the halfway stage of the Hong Kong Open.

Welshman Stephen Dodd, Zimbabwe's Tony Johnstone, Taiwan's Ter-Chang Wang and the Swedish pair of Klas Eriksson and Marten Orlander all also finished on nine-under 129 after the first two rounds of the tournament, which is co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours.

Frenchman Thomas Levet and American Clay Devers had a share of eighth place, a shot behind the leading pack on eight under.

Six-times major winner Nick Faldo carded a four-under 65 on the reduced par-69 Hong Kong Club course to end the round at five under, just four strokes from the front.

Bjornstad finished second behind Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal here last year, a result that remains the 23-year-old's best in three years on the European Tour. Olazabal hit a second-round 65 on Friday to move to four under for the event.

Bjornstad began his second round from the 10th tee in lightning style with six birdies in his first eight holes including four in succession from his third hole.

But the Norwegian stalled over his inward half with five starting pars before birding two of his final four holes.

"I could have gone really low today but when I made a bogey at the 18th or my ninth, I kind of fell out of it a little bit," he said.

"I am just hoping now I can go one place better than last year's finish."

Denmark's Thomas Bjorn carded a 64 to stay in contention at six under and hopeful of second victory in 2002 after winning the BMW International Open in Munich last August.

Faldo is among a group of 14 players, including the Scottish pair of Dean Robertson and Gary Orr and Ireland's Peter Lawrie, who recorded the 2003 European Tour schedule's first hole-in-one.

Wearing a stretch support over his right elbow, Faldo stormed home with an inward half of a five under par 30 that included an eagle and three birdies.

"It was a good back nine and I suddenly got it going with a good one at the 11th," he said. "It was nice to have a good back nine and I plan to play real aggressive going into the weekend.

"Anything can happen now and when you get it going you feel good but once you start jiggling a few on these greens you can get scared of them.

"But now I am in the running I will just go for everything and that is the goal and we will see what happens. That is plan A."

The course has been reduced to a par 69 after a combination of a bermuda grass decline and poor treatment forced officials to abandon six greens used in last year's competition.

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