Volvo China Open
Sunisland International Club
Shanghia, China
16th - 19th April 1998

Second Round Report

Second Round Scores
First Round Report
First Round Scores

Big Ed and little Takeshi shine in Shanghai

Shanghai, China, 17th April 1998 -  Las Vegas-based Englishman Ed Fryatt, already a winner of three national Opens in Asia, is challenging again for top honours in the region after sharing the half-way lead in the US$400,000 Volvo China Open in Shanghai.

Fryatt fired a course record seven-under-par 65 at Sunisland International Club to lie at 10-under-par 134 for the Omega Tour event, along with Japan's Takeshi Ohyama, who returned a five-under-par 67.

They lead by a stroke from American Aaron Meeks who carded a 68. Meeks's twin brother Eric is a shot further back along with Chinese Taipei's Lin Keng-chi.

Fryatt is still riding high after having added this year's Malaysian Open title to his 1997 Indian Open victory and 1996 Indonesian Open win.

He beat England's Lee Westwood in a sudden-death play-off for the Malaysian event.

"It's nice to be on a bit of a roll, beating Westwood did a lot for my confidence," said Fryatt, who also won the Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea last year. "I missed three good birdie chances on the first three holes and then got myself going with a birdie on the next," added the 27-year-old, who has his wife, Michelle, caddieing for him for the first time ever this week. He made the turn in three-under-par 33, came home in four-under-par 32 and birdied all four par fives.

"Michelle has definitely made me calmer on the course – she's been a real help," said Fryatt. "I don't think the course is that easy. A lot of people are saying it is not a difficult course but I am surprised that the scores are so low."

While Fryatt stands six feet four inches tall his co-leader, Ohyama, is just five feet six inches. The diminutive 34-year-old from Sapporo, wearing eye-catching new soft spike golf shoes, blazed his way around the 6,764-yard layout making three birdies in-a-row from the fourth on the front side, and two on the back nine on 10 and 12.

"The wind wasn't too strong this morning so the course was not playing at all difficult," said Ohyama, whose black and white footwear comes up to his ankles. "I have won in Japan before on the second level tour but so far this is the best position I have been in in a big tournament," added Ohyama.

Korean Chung Joon also fired a 65 and lies at seven under for the tournament with six players. Chung stands tied for sixth with compatriot Charlie Wi, Australians John Senden and Leith Wastle, Chinese Taipei's Chou Hung-nan, and Americans Gerry Norquist and Mike Cunning.

Defending champion Cheng Jun continued his poor run of form of late and missed the level-par 144 half-way cut by five. He followed a first round 70 with a 79. The Volvo China Open is a joint-sanctioned event with the China PGA Tour.