Scott Hend finished birdie-birdie to post a course record-equalling 64 and grab a share of the halfway lead at the True Thailand Classic Presented by Chang.
Pelle Edberg had set the target at 12 under in the morning session and as the shadows began to lengthen at Black Mountain Golf Club, it looked like he would take the solo lead into the weekend.
But Hend had other ideas, and the Australian got up-and-down from a bunker on the 17th and then took advantage of the par five last to join the Swede at the top of the leaderboard.
A runner-up at Black Mountain last year, Hend had got off to a flying start as he birdied the first and then eagled the par five second. He continued to take advantage of the par fives with gains on the sixth and 13th sandwiching a birdie on the par four 12th before his big finish.
Hend was one of the players to make the long trip from Florida after last week’s World Golf Championships – Cadillac Championship but he showed no ill effects and will head into the weekend in the hunt for a second European Tour title.
Thailand’s Panuphol Pittayarat carded a bogey-free 65 to move to 11 under and solo third spot, two strokes clear of Welshman Rhys Davies, Americans David Lipsky and Peter Uihlein, South Africa’s Shaun Norris and Scotsman Simon Yates.
Scott Hend: “I like this course, I like the area, I like coming to Thailand as it’s a friendly place. We always have a pretty good time here. After a lacklustre effort last week in the WGC in Miami, we’ll see what comes now. I was very disappointed with my performance last week. I just want to do something for myself this week.
“I changed driver again this week. I have a few driver worries and I’ve been messing about a little bit. I used a different putter every day around Doral as I wasn’t putting very well either. This is golf, we all go through it. We all change clubs. We put putters in buckets of water hoping they behave the next day! It doesn’t always work out that way.”
Pelle Edberg: “I’m very happy. I’m more satisfied with the result today than yesterday. I was playing extremely good yesterday but today I played well but not as good. It was a strong finish – I birdied 15, 16 and 17. I three putted the last unfortunately for par on the last but overall it was a good day.
Panuphol Pittayarat: “I love coming up here. Hua Hin is like my second home. I practice a lot here, I like the atmosphere and I like the golf course and people. As much as I loveit here though, I have to be honest and say I never really score well here do this week, I’m just taking a chill pill and giving it a good go. The result has come up pretty good so far so I am going to stick to this plan and hopefully I can be up there on Sunday.”
