The stage is set for a final-round showdown at the Hong Kong Golf Club on Wednesday after Australia's Scott Barr joined compatriot Unho Park at the top of the leader board after the second round of the HK$450,000 Ageas HKPGA Championship.
Singapore-based Barr handled the windy conditions at Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club better than anyone in the 69-man field, firing a 68 to match Park (70) on a two-round score of two-under. The duo hold a five-shot lead over Hong Kong's Wong Woon-man, who aced the par-three 16th.
One of the Asian Tour's most consistent performers over the past decade, Barr chipped in for birdie at the fourth before dropping shots at the sixth and seventh. Finding his rhythm on the closing nine, 41-year-old Barr bounced back with birdies at 13, 15 and 18.
"I was just trying to stay patient," said Barr, who memorably lost out to Colin Montgomerie in a play-off for the 2003 Macau Open.
"I fumbled a couple of holes early on but managed to make a few putts coming in, which is encouraging for tomorrow."
Despite being friends off the course, Barr admitted he would like nothing more than to deny Park a record-breaking third successive HKPGA Championship win.
