Golf: Sandelin sees light at the end of the tunnel

Sweden’s Jarmo Sandelin, without a win in over two years, is perfectly placed to end his drought in the BMW Asian Open in Taiwan.

Sandelin, whose last victory in the German Open in 1999 sealed his Ryder Cup place, carded a 66 for a six-under-par halfway total of 138 at Ta Shee.

It gave the extrovert 34-year-old a one-shot lead in the early stages of the second round as scoring conditions improved vastly today as the strong wind that sent scores soaring on Thursday eased considerably.

Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez carded a 69 to lie one shot behind on five under with another Swede Carl Pettersson another stroke adrift following a 68.

Sandelin’s round could have been even better as he came within inches of an albatross on the par-five sixth and a hole-in-one on the 18th that would have won him a luxury car from the tournament sponsors.

‘‘When I saw the ball in the air I said ’Yes, come to me,’’’ Sandelin said. ‘‘I was so close to my car.’’

After finishing ninth on the Order of Merit after making his Ryder Cup debut at Brookline, Sandelin has failed to finish in the top three in a European Tour event and finished a lowly 100th on the money list this season.

‘‘It’s not been a good year,’’ he admitted. ‘‘I took four months off around the birth of my son Lukas and I got quite a lot behind, but I think it was worth it because I spent a lot of time with my fiancée and my son.

‘‘This year has been a lot of struggling but I feel I have a good game and next year I hope will be much better.

‘‘It feels great to be leading because this is the first tournament for next year’s Order of Merit.’’

Sandelin’s score would have been good enough for a share of the course record if compatriot Johan Rystrom had not come in moments before with a 65 to set the new mark, improving 13 shots on his opening 78.

Nick Faldo had also improved three shots on his opening round, adding a 70 to Thursday’s 73 to be one under par at halfway, five shots behind early pacesetter Sandelin.

New Zealand’s Stephen Scahill was on course to join Sandelin at the top of the leaderboard at six under until a costly finish, a double bogey on the 16th and bogey on 18 forcing him to settle for a 71 and three under halfway total of 141.