Volvo China Open 2006

England's David Lynn took a leap towards the Volvo China Open title with a five-under-par 67 for a one-stroke halfway lead on Friday.

With his lucky marker in his pocket and a dragon-head belt to mark his appearance in the Middle Kingdom, Lynn snared nine birdies en route to a five-under-par 67 at the Beijing Honghua International Golf Club.

His two-day total of nine-under-par 135 was one clear of Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng, Jose Filipe Lima of Portugal and Zimbabwean Marc Cayeux. India's Rahil Gangjee carded a 70 for tied fifth on 138 with Scott Drummond of Scotland and overnight leader Christian Cevaer.

Defending champion Paul Casey swapped putters before his round and returned a 68 and enters the weekend lurking four strokes off the pace. World number 13 Henrik Stenson of Sweden was further back on 141 after a 68 that included a calamitous quadruple bogey eight.

It has been a remarkable ride for Lynn this year as he looks to convert his top form into a victory in the 12th Volvo China Open. With three top-10s in hand this season, the lanky Englishman put himself in pole position for a second career victory.

"I feel like I'm on the verge of knocking one off soon," said Lynn, whose round included four birdies on the bounce on his inward nine.

He rued a bogey at his last hole after a seven iron approached plugged in the greenside bunker but Lynn was delighted to be leading China's national Open as he nearly didn't tee it up after an infection near the groin caused by a mosquito bite.

"On Wednesday, I was wondering if I was going to play. I picked up a bite back home and got here and it had been festering since and became quite large and painful. I had to stick out my right leg in a funny position to line up a putt and it was painful at the top of my swing where my groin was pulling. Then after my round on Thursday, the doctor said we needed to cut it out and he did a good job," said Lynn, whose lone victory came at the 2004 KLM Open in the Netherlands.

Ten years after his breakthrough victory at the Volvo China Open in Beijing, the stocky Prayad couldn't be blamed if he felt a sense of déjà vu as he cruised into contention with a flawless 67. With all departments of his game working, the Thai rammed home five birdies including a monster 45-footer on the seventh and ended on eight-under-par for two rounds, which was his score back in 1996 as well.

"I'm always feeling good whenever I'm in China. My performance has always been strong here. I won in Beijing as well last year and this one 10 years ago, so I'm feeling good about playing well this week," said Prayad.

With the Beijing weather warming up after an initial cold front that greeted the players, Prayad intends to take a shot at Volvo China Open history where no player has won the championship twice.

"I've putted well the last two days and hopefully it'll carry on. If there are not many players ahead of me by the end of the day, then I will have a chance. It also depends on the weather as warmer weather will help me," said Prayad.

Gangjee gritted his teeth in frustration after a double bogey on 17 tarnished his card. He skinned his shot out of a bunker which sailed the green and left him with an awkward lie. Two chips, a duffed shot and a putt later, he staggered off with a six but the Indian wasn't down.

"I thought I would feel jitter today but I wasn't. It was just one bad shot which cost me and that's how I'll think of it. I hit a lot of good shots and made some good putts," said Gangjee, who won his maiden Asian Tour title in Beijing two years ago.

"It was a great round. I wasn't expecting much today but I started really good. It's nice to be back in Beijing."

Ryder Cup star Casey is feeling confident of his chances of completing a treble of victories in China. After a bogey on his second hole of the day, the Englishman drained a 25 foot birdie at the next and reeled in four more birdies.

Casey knows he must putt a lot better at the weekend after taking 30 strokes on the greens but he will not be short of putters to choose from. "I did change the putter (today). I have another three in the locker so I might go with a different one each day. I'm a streaky putter, when I get going, I can be very good but the rest of the time, it can be quiet.

The halfway cut was set at 145 with China's promising Li Chao being the lone local player to qualify for the weekend rounds. The 25-year-old, last year's China Tour Order of Merit winner, holed a one-foot knee-trembler for bogey on his last hole to qualify by one shot with two 72s.

Home heroes Zhang Lian-wei, the 2003 Volvo China Open champion, and Liang Wen-chong crashed out after a 74 and 76 respectively.