Shenzhen, China, May 3: China’s Wu Ashun delighted the home crowd when he took a two-shot lead into the weekend after posting a second round seven-under-par 65 at the Volvo China Open on Friday.

Finland’s Tapio Pulkkanen and Spain’s Jorge Campillo, who both started the day tied for the lead, slipped to second and third place respectively after they returned with a 68 and 69 at the Genzon Golf Club.

Chinese amateur Kuang Yang endeared himself to the galleries when at 14 years and 170 days, became the second youngest player on the Asian Tour to make the halfway cut which was set at two-under-par.

India’s Khalin Joshi, a one-time Asian Tour winner, enjoyed a revival in form as he will also feature in the weekend rounds for the first time this season, having missed the cut in all six starts prior to this week’s Chinese showpiece.

The Indian signed for a 70 which placed him in a share of 23^rd place, eight shots back of Wu.

Wu got his round going in the morning with an opening birdie on his back-nine 10. He headed towards the turn with another three birdies on 13, 15 and 17 and added another two more birdies on the first and third hole after the turn.

However he was left to confront his nemesis on the par-four five again when he dropped another shot there for the second time.

Wu, who won the Volvo China Open in 2015, then stormed home by closing with another two birdies in his last three holes to sign for a two-day total of 13-under-par 131.

Did you know?

• Wu Ashun played predominately on the Asian Tour and in Japan since he turned professional in 2007 before he started playing regularly on the European Tour following his win at the Volvo China Open in 2015.
• With that victory, Wu became the first Chinese golfer to win a European Tour title on home soil.
• Wu has since followed up with that victory with wins in Austria and The Netherlands which made him the first Chinese player to win three times on the European Tour.
• Jorge Campillo is in the form of his life. He made his breakthrough on the European Tour with his win in Morocco last week and has four top three finishes from his last five starts.
• Khalin Joshi turned professional in 2013 and made his breakthrough on the Asian Tour when he won on home soil in October last year.
• He missed the cuts in all six events he played in on the Asian Tour since the start of the year.
• Kuang Yang is the second youngest player to make the halfway cut at an Asian Tour event. Jazz Janewattananond remains the youngest player at 14 years 71 days to make the cut at the 2010 Asian Tour International in Bangkok.
• Kuang qualified for this event by winning the Volvo China Junior Match Play Championship in December.
• Kuang just finished his mid-term examinations and says, ‘school is still my main focus.’

Ends.