KEY POINTS:
New Zealand golfer David Smail stormed home late in the second round to be well placed for a shot at the spoils at the Australian PGA Championship in Queensland.
The Waikato professional, tied for sixth overnight, fired a second round of three-under-par 69 to be eight-under at the halfway point of the sun-drenched A$1.4 million ($1.6 million) tournament at Coolum's Hyatt Regency course.
He is tied for fourth, two shots off the lead held by top Australian Adam Scott who fired a second round 67 to be one shot clear of South African Rory Sabbatini and Australian Peter Lonard.
Smail, who missed last week's New Zealand Open for the season-ending Japanese Tour event, in which he finished third, waited until the final few holes to make his move yesterday.
He birdied the 15th and 16th to move to eight-under, then slid his 5m birdie putt attempt just to the right of the hole on the 17th when bidding for a share of the lead.
Mahal Pearce was next best of the New Zealanders at three-under, after signing for an even-par 72 on Thursday, while Michael Long slipped back to two-under with a disappointing second round of 74.
Smail, Pearce and Long will be joined in the last two rounds by a fourth New Zealander Josh Carmichael who fired a one-under 71 to finish at even par and make the cut which was at that score.
Australian hope Stuart Appleby also shot a 71 but was well outside the cut and will have the weekend off.
- NZPA
