Singapore: Sihwan Kim fired a fine five-under-par 66 in the second round of the Singapore Open yesterday to take the clubhouse lead at nine under.
The American opened up a three-shot lead over South Korean teenage star Kim Joo-Hyung, who came in with his second 68 to put himself in a strong position to wrap up the Asian Tour Order of Merit title.
Korean Jang Dong-Kyu and Sadom Kaewkanjana from Thailand were a stroke further back following rounds of 69 and 70 respectively.
The US$1.25 million event is the Asian Tour's final event of the 2020-21 season.
Three players were unable to finish as darkness fell.
American Kim has good pedigree -- he won the US Junior Championship in 2005, joining a host of big names players to have claimed the title including compatriots Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth -- and showed that at Sentosa Golf Club yesterday.
He started on 10, toured the back nine in three under and after making three birdies in a row from his 11th, he had a five-shot lead.
The 33-year-old's only blemish was when he double bogeyed hole six but he responded with a birdie on the seventh.
"It feels good. I putted really well today and hopefully the rest of my game follows," said Siwhan Kim, who also went to Stanford University, at the same time as LPGA Tour star Michelle Wie.
"I don't know [why I played so well]. To be honest, I just had a terrible practice round. So, I didn't really expect that. But at the end of the day, you know, you just kind of find what you have and score from there. So that's what I've been doing."
Kim Joo-Hyung, winner of last week's Singapore International, was again in impressive form making five birdies and two bogeys.