Douglas Klein
(Golf South Australia Photo)

Teeing off in the afternoon in tricky conditions, Klein moved to four-under for the day, but four bogeys on the backward nine including on both par threes, reduced his overall lead heading into moving day.

“I started off really well, I think I was four under through ten so I was holing a few good putts, and then the course got the better of me in the next few holes. 12, 13 and 14, those stretch of holes were pretty tricky, it was very breezy, which made it pretty hard with all the cross winds and it was quite gusty putting.

“I’m pretty happy now. Seeing on how I was going, I was aiming to have a few more under par than I did, but I made a few clutch up and downs coming in, which was good.” Klein said.

Ben Ferguson from WA has moved into second place at 4-under two strokes adrift of Klein after posting a second round three-under 69.

Ferguson who won the WA medal last week and who lead the Classic early last year is well suited to the Royal Adelaide layout.

“This is my third year playing the Classic and I think the first two years I finished top five. I think the course off the tee visually its very similar to my home course back in Perth, The Vines and I feel I can just rip my drive, it feels very similar to back home.

“I played well pretty the whole day, I didn’t look like really making a mistake out there. I bogeyed 16which was a tough hole played into the breeze today, but apart from that it was a solid round.

“There is still a lot of golf to be played so I will try and do something similar the next two days. I will just keep doing my own thing and really try and make as many birdies as possible.” Ferguson said.

Sitting tied third at 2-under are Min woo Lee and Kiran Day from WA and Andrew Nakone Jnr from The Grange.

“I put myself in a good position for the last two rounds, so hopefully two low ones the next two days”. Lee said.

“If you play the hard holes or those that are into the wind par or better you can definitely go pretty low, because those are the holes that can make or break your score. The downwind holes aren’t too hard so that’s where you score”. Lee added.

Tied sixth are Lachlan Barker and Joe Hodgson from SA who are one shot further back at 1-under with Josh Armstrong (ACT/NSW) and Lochie Coleborn (QLD).

Barker had the equal low round of the day a 4-under 68 and is well positioned after 36 holes.

With the cut at 154 (+10) after 36 holes, 65 players (22 South Australian’s) proceed to the final two rounds.

Men’s round three kicks off at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday.

-Editors Note: Story by Golf South Australia