Golf: Lee keeps pace in US

Danny Lee. Photo / Daily Post

New Zealand golfer Danny Lee is again jousting with the leaders in the latest event on the Nationwide Tour in the United States.

The 20-year-old reached the halfway stage of the BMW Charity pro-Am in Carolina today in a tie for ninth place after posting rounds of 68 and 66.

His six-under-par 66 today featured eight birdies and a double bogey seven, leaving him at 10-under 134 after two rounds, six shots shy of joint leaders, Englishman Greg Owen and American Travis Hampshire.

Lee began the US$600,000 ($753,980) sitting 23rd on the tour's moneylist. The top 25 at season's end advance directly to the 2012 PGA Tour.

He earned top 10 placings in his previous two starts, including a tie for fifth in the Stadion Classic this month.

Lee is one of five New Zealanders to safely negotiate the second round cut and he will be joined for the money rounds by Tim Wilkinson, Brad Iles, Josh Geary and Steve Alker.

Left-hander Wilkinson today shot 67 to be tied for 37th at 137, Iles is on the same number after posting a 68 and Geary is another stroke back after signing for a 70.

Alker, the 2009 New Zealand PGA Championship titleholder, will join them for the weekend after ending the second round on 140 following rounds of 69 and 71.

Leading scores after the second round of the Nationwide Tour's US$600,000 BMW Charity Pro-Am in Carolina today (US unless stated):-

128 - Travis Hampshire 60 68, Greg Owen (England) 65 63

130 - Sunghoon Kang (South Korea) 67 63

131 - Garth Mulroy (South Africa) 65 66, Brendon Todd 64 67

132 - Woody Austin 65 67

133 - Andrew Svobdoa 66 67, Will MacKenzie 64 69

134 - DANNY LEE (NZ) 68 66, Martin Flores 68 66, Stephen Gangluff 65 69, Cliff Kresge 68 66

Also

137 - TIM WILKINSON (NZ) 70 67, BRAD ILES (NZ) 69 68

138 - JOSH GEARY (NZ) 68 70

140 - STEVE ALKER (NZ) 69 71

- NZPA