Ormsby and Vongvanij tied after second day of weather-hit Ballantine's

SEOUL, South Korea -- Wade Ormsby birdied two of his closing three holes Friday to share the clubhouse lead with Arnond Vongvanij in the second round of the rain-affected Ballantine's Championship on the European Tour.

Ormsby shot a 5-under 67 at Blackstone Resort to tie Vongvanij (69) at 137 overall.

James Morrison (66), Alexander Noren (67) and Jbe Kruger (67) share third place at 6 under.

After the first day was delayed by fog and rain, play stopped Friday for more than an hour because of an electrical storm, leaving more than half the field to complete the second round early Saturday.

Ormsby, 33, has come through European Tour Q-School on four occasions but is playing this week as a member of the co-sanctioning Asian Tour, is at 7 under par for the week.

One of 70 players to return early Friday morning to complete their opening rounds, Ormsby charged into contention with an outward 32 in his second round, before a bogey at the second checked his progress.

However, having won his first professional title earlier this month at the Panasonic Open India, Ormsby continued his good form with long-range putts at the seventh and ninth – his 16th and 18th – to take the lead.

"My game's in pretty good shape, I had the last two weeks at home practicing so it was nice to come out here and keep the form going," said Ormsby. "I three-putted (the second) just before the suspension and on the third and fourth I struggled for the speed of the greens straight out of the blocks; I was a bit tentative and left a couple short but then made two bombs in the last three."

Vongvanij, also won his first Asian Tour title recently.

“I'm just happy with the way I played and wherever the score stands, I'll still stick to my game plan tomorrow and go from there,” he said. “If you just focus on your game, then it will always work out for the best.” 

Noren survived a surprise encounter with some local wildlife to move into contention – playing his approach to the second hole when a deer sprang out of the undergrowth just a few yards away. The 30-year-old had finished his swing before noticing the animal as it scampered away, but still jumped slightly in shock before giving a quizzical look toward a nearby television camera.

Noren, three times a winner on the European Tour, went on to par the hole and then finished his second round in style with four birdies in his last six holes.

Pre-tournament favorite Louis Oosthuizen was three shots off the pace on 4 under after completing a 69 this morning and then adding a round of 71. The former British Open Champion carded two birdies and 15 pars, with his solitary bogey coming on the ninth – his final hole – when he failed to get up and down from left of the green.

England’s Tommy Fleetwood suffered more than most with the delay – 7 under and playing beautifully with two to play when the klaxon sounded, the 22-year-old bogeyed both holes on his return to drop to 5 under.

Most of the later starters were struggling to make an impression on the leaderboard, but Scotland's Stephen Gallacher reached 5 under par after going to the turn in 34 and picking up another shot on the 12th.

First round co-leaders Johan Edfors, Matthew Baldwin and Kim Gi-whan were all 1 over for the day and 4 under overall, with Australian Kieran Pratt 3 over for nine holes and back to 2 under for the tournament.