Chinese Taipei, September 28: Adilson Da Silva of Brazil renewed his love affair with the Tamsui course after carding a two-under-par 70 to grab a share of the halfway lead at the wind-swept Mercuries Taiwan Masters on Friday.

Silva, who holds an impeccable track record in the storied event, fired four birdies against two bogeys under blustery conditions to take his place atop the leaderboard alongside Australian Maverick Antcliff (72), South African Justin Harding (73) and Lionel Weber (73) of France.

The quartet leads by one shot on three-under-par 141 total in the US$850,000 Asian Tour event held at its traditional home at the fabled Taiwan Golf and Country Club, which is celebrating its centennial year in 2018.

Korea’s Heungchol Joo produced the highlight of the day when he stuck an ace on the par-three eighth hole after hitting a four-iron from 172 metres. It was the second time he sank a hole-in-one during a professional tournament.

Local veterans Lin Wen-tang and Tsai Chi-huang signed for respective rounds of 72 and 71 to share fifth place with Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond (72) at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters, which is celebrating its 32nd edition this week.

The halfway cut was set at four-over-par 148 with a total of 53 players, including one local amateur, advancing to the next two rounds.

Did you know?

• Adilson Da Silva has an impeccable track record at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters. He has not finished outside top-three in his last three starts in the storied event. In his debut appearance in 2012, he also enjoyed a tied-ninth place finish.
• Prior to this week, Silva has made only three cuts in 11 starts this season. He claimed a tied-ninth place result in Japan last week to propel to 65th place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings. Needs a strong performance this week to break into top-60 and retain his card for the 2019 season.
• Last year, Silva came in joint runner-up after finishing two shots back of winner Gavin Green of Malaysia.
• Silva enjoyed a career high in 2016 when he was given the honour of striking the first tee shot at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro when golf made a return into the programme after 112 years.
• Silva has won multiple times on the Sunshine Tour but is still searching for a first win on the Asian Tour.
• Silva started playing extensively in Zimbabwe from between 1996 to 2003, winning more than 30 titles and five Zimbabwean Order of Merit crowns. Played in the British Open in 2000 and 2007.
• Maverick Antcliff secured his Asian Tour card at the Qualifying School after finishing tied-seventh. He missed only two cuts in 11 starts this season and his best result was a tied-ninth place finish at the Indonesia Open in July.
• The 25-year-old Antcliff came in tied-fourth when he made his Asian Tour debut at the 2017 Asian Golf Championship in China last November.
• Antcliff, who turned professional in 2016, is playing the Mercuries Taiwan Masters for the first time in his career.
• Lionel Weber graduated from the 2013 Asian Tour Qualifying School and is searching for his maiden victory on the region’s premier Tour.
• Weber has been struggling to find his form all-season, missing eight cuts in 15 starts with his best result being a tied-21st place finish in Myanmar earlier in January.
• The 28-year-old Weber found only seven fairways but missed just four greens in regulation in his solid round of 68. He amassed 28 putts in total.
• Justin Harding is playing in only his sixth start on the Asian Tour this season. He has claimed two victories and a runner-up finish so far.
• Harding navigated his way around the greens with only 26 putts in his round of 68.
• Harding broke into top-10 on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings following his second-place result in Japan last week. He sits in a current eighth position.
• The 32-year-old Harding won his first Asian Tour title in his first start on Tour this season at the BANK BRI Indonesia Open in July. He later claimed a six-shot victory at the Royal Cup to become the first player since 2011 to win back-to-back titles on the region’s premier Tour.
• Harding is the higest-ranked player in the field in 97th place on the latest Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).

Players’ quotes: 

Adilson Da Silva (Bra) – Second round 70 (-2), Total 141 (-3)

I had a good round although I didn’t finish well. It was tough out there. The wind was swirling. I hit a lot of fairways and gave myself a lot of chances to go for the pins. I just kept it in play. I didn’t do anything that special.

I made a couple of putts in the beginning but made a few three-putts coming back. Other than that, I played solidly. The past experiences have helped definitely. I am pretty familiar with the course and the conditions out there.

Sometimes when the winds are swirling, it’s hard to think about your strategy so I must say the past experiences have helped. This is probably one of the toughest conditions that I have played here.

I would like to win this tournament for sure. It’s a very special tournament to me. I really like playing here and I enjoyed the tournament every time I come back here. The people are friendly and the sponsors are very nice too.

The top-10 finish last week has definitely given me some good form coming here. I hope to keep riding on that good form. I am putting better and I am hitting the ball a lot better too so we’ll wait and see.

Maverick Antcliff (Aus) – Second round 72 (even-par), Total 141 (-3)

It was tough out there. It was quite windy and we got a bit of rain on the front nine which was my back nine. I kind of got off to an average start. It’s pretty tough to start from the 10th hole. It’s a long par-three, especially with the wind and stuff.

I didn’t get off to the best start with the bogey there but I was just trying to stay calm out there and made some good saves. I managed to birdie sixth and seventh which was nice. I putted nicely today. I felt more comfortable with the greens now.

I still have a couple of three-putts but I felt like everyone else will probably do the same out there. I think I didn’t do too bad even the tough playing conditions out there. It could’ve gotten a lot worse.

The wind felt like it swirls around a bit. You just got to trust that the wind is coming out from north-east and stick to it. It’s a big event this week. I came here with the aim to try and play well. I’m happy with where I stand right now, given that it’s my first time here.

It’s nice to be playing solid but it’s golf, I’ll just take it as it comes and see what happens over the weekend.

Lionel Weber (Fra) – Second round 73 (+1), Total 141 (-3)

I’m happy with my day. The conditions were very tough out there. I knew shooting an even-par 72 will be a good score for today. I fought very hard. I was one-under after the first nine holes but lost my momentum after that.

I came back with two birdies and I fought till the end. One-over in this condition, I think it’s a good score. I’m still in contention and in a good position right now so I’m positive for the weekend. My short game was very good today. I made some ome good up and downs.

Justin Harding (Rsa) – Second round 73 (+1), Total 141 (-3)

It was strange today. I felt pretty good at the start but I came out and made mistakes after mistakes. It’s something you can’t do especially on a hard day like this. I thought I bounced back pretty nicely with birdies on sixth and seventh, the two par-fives.

I made two good par-saves on ninth and 10th as well. I thought let’s get the momentum going but went on to make bogey on the 11th hole with a wedge in my hand. It was a difficult day.

It was hard out there, I missed a bunch of greens and just struggled. But at the end of the day, I haven’t played my way out of it.

I kind of figured out that even-par will be a really good score. Looking at the leaderboard now, it seems like the case. Anyone who shot under-par played really great. It’s a tricky golf course and it’s harder given the conditions today. It’s a great layout nonetheless.

I’m nicely positioned for the weekend so hopefully I can put up a good round tomorrow and see what happens. I am very happy with my one-over-par. It felt like a couple under-par to be honest.