South Korean teen titan Han Chang-Won took the halfway lead in the $1 million Indonesia Open on Friday with a five-under-par 67. The 19-year-old moved to nine under for the tournament, one stroke ahead of defending champion Michael Hendry from New Zealand, Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant, Hideto Tanihara from Japan and Australian Michael Wright. Han made six birdies and one bogey to put himself in a strong position to claim the $180,000 winners’ cheque. “I had a chance to win the Volvo China Open earlier in the year but I played badly on Sunday,” Han said.
“This weekend I hope I can learn from that experience and try and handle the pressure much better. I am playing well and feel I can shoot some low scores in the last two rounds.” Hendry was in control for much of the day at the Damai Indah Golf – Pantai Indah Kapuk Course before a poor stretch on the back nine saw him return a 71 while Thaworn, who won this event in 2005, shot a 68. Tanihara, a nine-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour Organisation, came in with a 69 and Wright returned a 67.
Indonesia’s top golfer Rory Hie birdied the final three holes to card a 70 and lies three shots off the lead along with Australians Kim Felton and Rohan Blizard. “I had a chance to win the Volvo China Open earlier in the year but I played badly on Sunday,” Han said. “This weekend I hope I can learn from that experience and try and handle the pressure much better. I am playing well and feel I can shoot some low scores in the last two rounds.”