Min Woo Lee leads Australian Open by three shots from Scotland's Connor Syme and America's Patrick Rodgers; Lee targeting second successive win on home soil after victory at Australian PGA Championship last week; watch round three from 3am, Saturday, Sky Sports Golf
Friday 1 December 2023 14:21, UK
Min Woo Lee boosted his hopes of back-to-back victories on the DP World Tour by surging into a three-shot lead during the second round of the ISPS HANDA Australian Open in Sydney.
The world No 38 won last week's Fortinet Australian PGA Championship in his homeland and now heads the field after 36 holes in New South Wales after a seven-under 64 on Friday which featured six birdies and an eagle.
Perth-born Lee began with a bogey but there were no further blemishes with two birdies on his front nine - including holing out from a bunker at the fourth - and four more coming home followed by an eagle at 18, which he secured after a sensational approach over the water from the pine straw.
The 25-year-old moved to 12 under par, with Scotland's Connor Syme and America's Patrick Rodgers his nearest challengers on nine under.
Lee said: "It's always nice to make an eagle whenever, but on the last hole, it's even nicer. I didn't think that we could beat last week's crowds, but we've very nearly done it before the weekend, so it's unreal.
"Most of my golf has been really good because of the crowd and the support."
Syme birdied four of his first five holes en route to a two-under 70.
The Scot is looking to build on his tie for 13th at the Australian PGA Championship, which Lee won by three strokes from Japan's Riyuka Hoshino.
Syme said: "It's just a great opportunity. My last event of the year and hopefully I can go out on a high."
Lee's countryman Sam Brazel,Venezuela's Jhonattan Vegas and Chile's Joaquin Niemann sit joint fourth on eight under, with Hoshino, England's David Horsey and Alex Fitzpatrick and Scotland's Grant Forrest among a host of players at seven under.
Home superstars Adam Scott and Cameron Smith both made the cut and will enter the weekend at four under but Robert MacIntyre's tournament is over with the Scot's six-over par second round leaving him at four over.
Smith showed frustration at the penultimate hole when he threw his ball in the lake after a bogey.
The 2022 Open champion, who failed to make the weekend at the Australian PGA Championship, said: "It's going to take my best to even get close and maybe even a little bit of help. But there's still lots of golf left.
"I feel after how I played [on Friday] that I can still make a run at least."
Watch round three of the ISPS HANDA Australian Open live on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event from 3am on Saturday. Stream the DP World Tour, PGA Tour and more golf with NOW.
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