IRELAND’S GARETH Maybin shot a second successive 69 yesterday to move into the top 10 of the €1.5 million Maybank Malaysian Open, but is still seven shots behind local favourite Danny Chia who leads on 13-under par at Saujana Golf and Country Club, Kuala Lumpur.

Chia went one better than his opening 66 with a second round 65 which contained no less than two eagles, four birdies and just the one dropped shot at the fifth.

The Malaysian set off from the 10th and picked up four birdies in eight holes before reaching the turn in 32. In a seemingly effortless round, Chia missed two short birdie putts at the first and third before the fireworks kicked in.

At the 330-yard par-four fourth he drove to within one foot of the hole to set up the easiest of eagles. Although he dropped a shot at the next, a second eagle wasn’t far away for the 36-year-old holed his wedge approach from 90 yards for a three at the par five seventh.

“I played really good today and I am very happy,” said Chia, who shared the lead at the same stage of this tournament last year before dropping away with a third round 78.

“I kept telling myself to be calm out there. My biggest concern is to not get too emotional, but I played well on the front nine and told myself to be focused.

“I eagled the fourth and then chipped in at the seventh and my club went sky high. That was nice. It looks like my game plan over the last two days has been pretty good.”

Maybin kept himself in contention with another fine round that came to life as he approached the turn. Starting from the 10th, the 28-year-old notched up four birdies in six holes from the 13th, his fourth, to turn in 32.

A further birdie came at the fourth, but this year’s South African Open runner-up signed off on a sour note with bogeys on the final two holes. In a share of 10th on six-under-par 138, the world number 93 still has a strong platform to challenge over the weekend.

Chia leads by three shots from Sweden’s Alexander Noren, who followed up an opening 63 with a 71 to be 10-under.

Overnight leader Noh Seung-yul lost some ground with a second round 73 but the Korean remains in touch at nine-under.

England’s Nick Dougherty (70) and Simon Griffiths (66), Australia’s Adam Blyth (70) along with China’s Wen-Chong Liang (71) were a shot further back on eight-under.

American Anthony Kim is one of the big draws in Kuala Lumpur this week, but had been in danger of limping out quietly after an opening 78. However, yesterday’s 65 left the Ryder Cup star right on the cut mark which fell at one-under par 143.

Peter Lawrie was the only other Irishman to make the cut. The Dubliner carded five birdies and one bogey at the 12th for a 68 to be four-under at the halfway stage.

Damien McGrane’s 72 for a one-over aggregate left the Meath pro on the wrong side of the cut, while Gary Murphy’s testing times continue as he shot 76 to be way off the pace on nine-over.

LET TOUR: South Korea’s Lee Chang-Hee holds a two-stroke lead at the halfway point of the Australian Open at Melbourne’s Metropolitan Golf Club.

The 20-year-old backed up her opening round 69 with a 70 yesterday for a total of seven-under-par 139 to displace defending champion Karrie Webb from the top of the leaderboard.

Lee started well with two birdies on the third and fourth holes to make the turn in two-under-par 35. She mixed a further three birdies with two bogeys over the back nine to come back in one-under-par 35.

At five-under-par 138, Webb has a share of second place with England’s Georgina Simpson, who hit a 68 and Tania Elosegui of Spain who fired a 72.

Katherine Hull finished at four-over-par 150, the same as playing partner Laura Davies who was livid with herself for finishing with three successive bogeys for a 76.

Twelve-year-old Melbourne schoolgirl Oh Su-Hyun, the youngest-ever player to compete in an Australian Women’s Open, failed to make the cut. Much as she did on Thursday, Oh faded over the closing stages to finish with an 81, for a 160 total.

Ireland’s Rebecca Coakley safely made the cut after a second round 72 for a halfway total of 149.

Caokley fired five birdies in the first six holes to reach the turn in 33 but lost her way on the return journey with four bogeys from the 10th in a back nine of 39.

SUNSHINE TOUR: Charl Schwartzel shot a seven-under-par 65 to move into a share of the halfway lead on 10-under-par 134 after the second round of the Vodacom Championship at the Pretoria Country Club.

He stuck his driver in his bag, and never took it out as a mark of respect to the kind of golf course he really likes, and relied on accuracy to get him his seven birdies.

“I hit a lot of irons off the tees, and rescue clubs, just to hit short of the bunkers,” he said.

Schwartzel shares the lead with Jaco Ahlers, who was all smiles after his six-under 66 saw him finish in a position he clearly relished. “I haven’t been in this position for a while, but it’s nice,” he said.

Behind them on nine-under 135 were Titch Moore and first-round leader Michiel Bothma, who shot a one-under 71 after his first-round fireworks, and Moore didn’t drop a shot as he picked up six birdies in his 66.

Michael Hoey is on one-under-par 143 after a second round 71.