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Fisher lands share in Fanling

Montgomerie one shot off the pace after second round of 65

Last updated: 21st November 2008

Fisher: share of the lead

Second round leaderboard:
(US unless stated)
O Fisher -8
L Oosthuizen (SA) -8
C Plaphol (Tha) -8
O Wilson -8

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England's Oliver Fisher fired himself into contention for a first European Tour victory as a superb 65 earned him a share of the lead after the second round of the Hong Kong Open.

Fisher stands in a four-way tie at the top of the leaderboard at eight-under-par with South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen, who produced the round of the day with a scintillating 62, as well as Chawalit Plaphol of Thailand and England's Oliver Wilson who both carded second consecutive 66s.

Colin Montgomerie matched the 65 of Fisher to move into a share of second on seven-under, sparking hopes of a repeat of his victory at the 2006 event.

Monty is one of five men just a stroke behind the leaders with first-round leader Richard Sterne, Swede Johan Edfors, Italian Francesco Molinari and Marcus Fraser of Australia alongside the Scot.

Northern Irish starlet Rory McIlroy and winner of last week's Singapore Open Jeev Milkha Singh both enjoyed highly productive days as they shot 64 and 63 respectively to move into a tie for tenth with Taiwan's Lin Wen-tang on six-under.

Fisher - who came agonisingly close to a maiden win at last year's Andalucia Open before losing a play-off to Thomas Levet - did not drop a single shot during his second round.

The 20-year-old started the day three shots behind overnight leaders Liang Wen-chong and Sterne, but quickly made his move with at the second, fourth and sixth followed by two more on the way home to edge him to the head of the field.

"It is very good, I played very solidly today. I hit the ball well and hit a lot greens and took my chances," he stated afterwards.

"I'm in a good position going into the weekend and I will just go out there and enjoy it and have a good time. Everything is pretty good. I don't really have a weakness, it is all good.

"My whole game probably needs to improve a couple of notches to be challenging week in, week out.

"This is the start of my third season now, so it has gone quickly. I would say

I've learned so much being out here. We are obviously competing against the top players week in, week out and the biggest thing that I've noticed when I've come out is consistency.

"The top players are so consistent week in and week out competing at the top

of the leaderboard. That is obviously where I want to be as soon as I can."

Fellow Englishman Wilson is another waiting to open his European Tour account following eight runner-up finishes - the latest at the HSBC Champions event earlier in the month.

However, the 28-year-old has given himself another chance to break his duck with six birdies and two bogeys keeping him right in contention.

Gone to plan

"I'm obviously pretty happy with the first two days. It has gone according to plan so far," said the Ryder Cup player.

Oosthuizen's sensational round, which contained eight birdies and not a single bogey, was his best-ever on the European Tour and just a shot off the course record.

Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez survived the cut by just a stroke after a second round of 69 left him on a level-par total of 140, but Nick Faldo will not be staying for the weekend as he could do no better than a 70 which saw him stranded below the cut-line at two-over.

Meanwhile, teenage amateur Jason Hak became the youngest player to make the cut at a European Tour event after successive 70s. The 14-year-old from Hong Kong beat the record set by current world number two Sergio Garcia by 107 days.