Strange & Ormsby Lead Australian PGA; Scott Two Back


Scott Strange and Wade Ormsby share the halfway lead at the Australian PGA. Strange carded a 6-under 66 and Ormsby a 67 at the RACV Royal Pines course in Queensland.

The pair sit atop the leaderboard at 9-under 135, two strokes ahead of defending champion and fellow Aussie Adam Scott and three ahead of first-round leader Boo Weekley.

Scott, the 2013 Masters champion, followed up his opening 68 with a 69 while Weekley, folksy 41-year-old from Milton, Fla., has carded rounds of 66 and 72.

The 34-year-old Ormsby, who posted five birdies - including four in a row on the back nine, an eagle on the par-5 12th and two bogeys, said he won't be intimidated if matched up with Scott, the No. 3-ranked player in the world. "There's plenty of guys, Rory (McIlroy) or the guys in America - I played university with Matt Kuchar - you play with them all the time.

"Yes, they are higher-ranked players but you do feel a lot more comfortable in their presence because you know them."

Although there was some rain in the morning, conditions were much better Friday after first-round play was suspended when two lightning storms come through. Many players had to return to the course early to finish their first rounds before commencing their second.

"I think we got the right side of the draw with the storms and that rolling in yesterday and this morning with the rain," said Strange, who had six birdies in a flawless second round after opening with a 69. "So I took advantage of it and played nice today."

Scott doesn't want to let go of the tournament's Joe Kirkwood Cup easily. "It's big for me," he said of winning the event again. "Energy levels are getting low and you can see the end of the line but I'm pushing through, I'm doing my usual routines. I really want to finish off with a win."

The 34-year-old from Adelaide revealed earlier he and his wife Marie Kojzar are expecting their first child in February.

Trailing Ormsby and Strange by four strokes are Aussies Nick Cullen (71), Kristopher Mueck (68), David Small (71), Jason Scrivener (73) and Craig Hancock (71), and South Korean Jin Jeong (74).

Cullen won the Australian Masters in late November.

For all the scores, visit http://www.pga.org.au/tourns/pga-tour/event/leaderboard?id=1077&season=2014&tour=pga.