Fraser leads the way as Els makes a move

Australia’s Marcus Fraser carded a second-round 70 to maintain a one-shot lead at the weather-affected Ballantine’s Championship on a bright but windy third day at Pinx Golf Club.

After a bogey-free 65 on Thursday, Fraser dropped his only shot of the week at his penultimate hole today.

But three birdies lifted him to nine under par overall to leapfrog overnight clubhouse leaders Thongchai Jaidee and Tano Goya.

After enjoying a rare day off yesterday, Fraser began his second round in style with a birdie but then could only manage 12 consecutive pars as he missed four birdie chances from inside 10 feet.

A lip out with five holes remaining looked to have summed up the 31-year-old’s day until back-to-back birdies were followed by his solitary bogey after failing to get up and down from a greenside bunker.

“I played very well but just didn’t make a couple of putts at the start of the round, but made a couple of birdies at the end of the round,” Fraser said.

“I felt like I played as good as I did on Thursday but it was just very tough conditions. It was just so gusty.

“It would drop and come back and it was difficult judging shots into the greens. But I managed to hit a lot of greens and made a few putts when I had to.

“It’s a bit weird knowing it’s only a 54-hole tournament but I will just give it my best shot and keep playing well and hope the outcome works in my favour.”

After nearly seven hours’ play was lost on Thursday and forced officials to cut the tournament to three rounds, defending champion Jaidee and Argentina’s Goya played almost two rounds in equally testing wind yesterday.

Asian number one Jaidee, 40, carded a superb second-round 67, while last year’s Madeira Islands Open winner Goya, 21, battled to a hard-fought round of 70 to lie eight under.

Brett Rumford also completed a 70 yesterday and was joined at seven under overall by in-form South African Ernie Els and Korea’s Ted Oh (70).

Three-time major winner Els emphatically returned to the winners circle in style with victories at the WGC-CA Championship and Arnold Palmer Invitational this season and picked up a closing birdie for a 69.

Houston Open champion Anthony Kim, who finished third at the Masters, faces an uphill battle after carding three double bogeys in a 74 to slip seven shots off the pace.