Peter Uihlein one-shot clear at Shenzhen International

Peter Uihlein fired a three under 69 to move one-shot clear after the second round of the Shenzhen International.

The American struck five birdies during another tough day of windy conditions and tough scoring, making his only blemish via a bogey at the par-four 10th, to move one stroke clear over Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat.

Beginning at the 10th, Uihlein reached the turn one under before picking up three shots in a flawless front nine, holing a neat putt at the sixth to go alongside gains at the second and ninth.

“It was tricky today. The wind was swirling quite a bit,” Uihlein said. “I got the back nine out of the way pretty quickly. I played very solid.

“I felt like getting anything under par on the back nine was nice, and I played a pretty stress-free front nine which is always good.”

Aphibarnrat had held the early morning lead with a long birdie putt at the third in one of five second-round gains, but missed a couple of par-save chances in his pursuit of a second European Tour title.  

“It was a great round,” the world No 116 said. “Again, the wind was getting up on a few holes before I finished, but the way I was striking the ball is still very good.”

Overnight leader Huang Wey-yi triple-bogeyed the par-four 15th to drop back to four under for the week, two adrift of a group of four players tied-third.

France’s Gregory Havret’s bogey-free 68 lifts him to seven-under alongside Emiliano Grillo, was one-over for the day through eight holes before striking six birdies in the joint-lowest round of the day.

Darren Fichardt also heads in to the weekend three off the pace after posting three bogeys in a row during his back nine, as does Matt Ford following his second successive 69. 

Issues

World No 4 Bubba Watson, by far the highest ranked player in the field, continued to struggle with the putting issues that hampered his bid to retain the Green Jacket at Augusta last week, dropping three strokes before the turn in a second round 74.

The American was hovering around the projected cut before three birdies on his back nine, so heads in to the weekend in a group level with Andy Sullivan, who slipped down the leaderboard with a double bogey at the par-four sixth and a dropped shot at the last. 

Live European Tour Golf

Italy's Edoardo Molinari had earlier been disqualified for signing for an incorrect score in his opening 75, the former Ryder Cup player failing to include an unusual penalty incurred by his caddie.

Molinari wrote on Twitter: "Got DQ because my caddy jumped on a buggy between the 9th and the 10th hole yesterday. I didn't see him unfortunately as I was 20 yds ahead.

"It would have been a two stroke penalty had I found out yesterday, DQ because I signed for the wrong card (which didn't include the penalty)."

Korea's An Byeong-hun could also count himself unfortunate after being forced to withdrew due to a neck injury. An was just one shot off the lead after an opening 67, which included a hole-in-one on the eighth, but was five over par for his second round before calling it a day after 14 holes.

Watch day three of the Shenzhen International live on Saturday from 6am on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf.