Tight at the top in Hong Kong

Bourdy: Joint leader

Second round leaderboard
GB and Ire unless stated
-9 G Bourdy (Fra)
-9 RJ Derksen (Ned)
-9 L Wen-Chong (Chn)
-9 C Schwartzel (SA)
-8 C Phadungsil (Tha)
-8 R Sabbatini (SA)

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Gregory Bourdy fell into a four-way share of the lead in the UBS Hong Kong Open after bogeying the last hole of his second round on Friday.

The Frenchman's blemish at the 18th was his second of the day in a three-under-par second round of 67.

He therefore stands on a nine under total alongside China's Liang Wen-Chong, South Africa's Charl Schwartzel and Robert-Jan Derksen of the Netherlands.

Derksen (68) had led at 11 under but finished with back-to-back bogeys, while Liang boosted his slender hopes of winning the Asian Tour Order of Merit with a bogey-free five-under-par 65.

Meanwhile, Schwartzel recovered from a bogey at the opening hole to made five birdies on his way to a 66.

Singapore Open runner-up Liang also occupies the 60th and final qualifying spot for the season-ending Dubai World Championship, while Bourdy and Derksen must finish at least second in Hong Kong to stand a chance of heading to the Middle East.

"It was a good day. I was consistent but made a double bogey on the eighth and bogey on the 18th which was a shame with three putts," said Bourdy.

"But my game was good and I am confident for the weekend. There are plenty of positives to take into the last two rounds and if I keep playing like this I will be OK on Sunday."

McIlroy six under

Thailand's Chinnarat Phadungsil shot his second successive 66 to join South Africa's Rory Sabbatini (67) at eight under, while USPGA Champion YE Yang (67), defending champion Lin Wen-Tang and David Dixon (both 69) are in a group a further shot off the pace.

Dixon currently holds his European Tour card for next season but with the Australian Masters also taking place this week, he needs a solid performance here to be certain.

Rory McIlroy edged ahead in the battle for European supremacy after a 68 pushed him to six under overall alongside Singapore Open champion Ian Poulter (66).

The pair therefore stand two clear of Race to Dubai leader Lee Westwood, who was again baffled by the Fanling greens and managed just one birdie in his round of 70.

However, last year's runner-up McIlroy also missed a number of putts, including very close calls at 16 and 17.

"I played really well, the putts just stopped dropping on the back nine. I think it is to do with the time of the day as the grain affects the ball a lot. As the sun starts to go down the grass grows and affects it," the 20-year-old said.

"I can get myself right in it if I shoot a good front nine tomorrow - I can put pressure on the leaders with a fast start."

However, first-round leader Udorn Duangdecha could not sustain the sort of form that brought a round of 62 on Thursday - the Thai signing for a 74.

But 15-year-old Hong Kong amateur Jason Hak made the cut for a second year running after shooting a second successive 67.

Hak's feat 12 months ago made him the youngest player to make the cut in European Tour history - beating Sergio Garcia's record, which had stood for 13 years.