Paul McGinley continued to work his way into the swing of things, after an injury-enforced absence, by shooting a second round 69 in the BMW Asian Open in Shanghai yesterday.
The problem which saw McGinley have an operation to remove cartilage from his right knee did not slow him down yesterday as he moved into joint second place on seven under after a three-under-par front nine eased him towards a round of 69.
"I had five weeks' break and last week was my first back and I played quite decently at the British Masters," he said. "I started well here so it makes me feel good."
His promising start to this tournament at the Tomson Golf Club has raised McGinley's hopes of qualifying for this year's Ryder Cup. "It's a long way away (Ryder Cup qualification) but I'm going to have to play very well between now and then," he said. "That's something in the distance. I'm 15th [on the European points list] at the moment. A big week, any week will help me."
Meanwhile, England's Simon Dyson continued to set the pace. The overnight leader followed his course-record 66 with a three-under round of 69 to hold a two-shot advantage over McGinley and Miguel Angel Jimenez.
Dyson (26), has so far enjoyed remarkable success in China, winning the Macau Open, the China Open and the Hong Kong Open en route to claiming the Asian Order of Merit in 2000 and that form looks like continuing.
Despite struggling to one over at the turn yesterday, four birdies on the back nine took him to three under for the day and back into the lead at nine under.
Dyson attributed his success in Asia to the atmosphere which pervades the further reaches of the European Tour.
"I feel a lot more at home in Asia. I feel it is more relaxed out here than it is back home in Europe," he said. "It's like dog eat dog in Europe. I played in Asia in 2000 and got my card in Europe for the 2001 season.
"This is where I started and all my friends are out here. I love coming back. I enjoy the courses and everyone makes you feel so welcome - some back in Europe don't."
Dyson is in his third tournament since returning to action after a cracking a bone in his arm at the Caltex Masters in Singapore in March but does not appear to be suffering any after effects.
"I had it at a 90-degree angle for about three weeks and just couldn't move it at all," he added. "About four weeks later it was fine. This is my third tournament back and I haven't felt any side effects. It still feels a bit weak but it doesn't hurt, that's the main thing."
Spain's Jimenez shot a course record-equalling 66 following a first-day 71 to keep in contention at seven under.
He began with two birdies and added four more over the final six holes in a bogey-free round.
France's Jean-Francois Lucquin also shot a 66 to lift him to six under alongside Germany's Alex Cejka and American Gregory Hanrahan.
Cejka recovered from a bogey at the third to fire home three birdies in his 70, while Hanrahan bogeyed the last two holes in his 71. Defending champion Padraig Harrington's second successive par 72 left him tied for 42nd place.
ASIAN OPEN, (Shanghai Pudong GC, China)
SECOND ROUND
(Irish in bold, Brit unless stated, par 72):
135 - S Dyson 66 69 137 - Paul McGinley 68 69, M A Jimenez (Spa) 71 66 138 J Lucquin (Fra) 72 66, G Hanrahan (USA) 67 71, A Cejka (Ger) 68 70, A Groom (Aus) 69 69 139 - L Zhang (Chn) 70 69, M Both (Aus) 68 71, Greg Norman (Aus) 67 72 140 - P Marksaeng (Tha) 67 73, T Wiratchant (Tha) 72 68, C Gane 70 70, E Little 71 69, M Eliasson (Swe) 68 72, KJ Choi (Kor) 67 73, C Spence (Aus) 68 72 141 - G Emerson 70 71, M Cort 71 70, S P Webster 72 69 142 - B Ruangkit (Tha) 70 72, A Fraser (Aus) 74 68, E Mizuguchi (Jpn) 70 72, C Kamps (Rsa) 70 72, J M Singh (Ind) 71 71, U Park (Aus) 71 71 143 - J Dawes (Aus) 73 70, R Ponce (Ecu) 69 74, C Williams 71 72, H Kahlon (Ind) 72 71, D Terblanche (Rsa) 71 72, B Akstrup (Den) 71 72, A Pitts (USA) 73 70, H Buhrmann (Rsa) 72 71, J Kingston (Rsa) 69 74, G Rusnak (USA) 69 74, J K Mo (Kor) 72 71, A Raitt 71 72, J Cheetham 70 73, B Saltus (USA) 71 72, T Oh (Kor) 73 70 144 - G Bourdy (Fra) 71 73, Padraig Harrington 72 72, J Randhawa (Ind) 70 74, B Barham 74 70, D Dixon 72 72, G Choi (Kor) 74 70, T Whitehouse 75 69, P Eales 73 71, P Meesawat (Tha) 70 74, K Felton (Aus) 75 69, E Loar (USA) 70 74 145 - B Teilleria (Fra) 71 74, S Walker 72 73, E Lee (Aus) 72 73, Y Chen (Tpe) 74 71, I Garbutt 73 72, T Milford 73 72, K Brink (Swe) 71 74, B Kennedy (Aus) 74 71, C Reimbold (Ger) 71 74, G Paddison (Nzl) 70 75, A Singh (Ind) 72 73, P Giles (Aus) 76 69, F Henge (Swe) 72 73, L Shang (Chn) 71 74, M Mamat (Sin) 74 71, P Purhonen (Fin) 74 71 146 - T Pilkadaris (Aus) 75 71, S Barr (Aus) 73 73, O Nordberg (Swe) 77 69, J Berendt (Arg) 76 70, C Plaphol (Tha) 70 76, C Wi (Kor) 73 73, S Struver (Ger) 71 75, D Drysdale 68 78, W Lin (Tpe) 76 70, S Ishigaki (Jpn) 74 72, A Ljunggren (Swe) 76 70, G Rojas (Arg) 75 71, J Axgren (Swe) 76 70.
