Rumford makes big move

Australian Brett Rumford’s birdie spree elevated him into a three-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Ballantine’s Championship.

Rumford fired a flawless second round of 63 at the Blackstone Golf Club in Incheon to take control of the tournament.

Starting from the 10th, he reached the turn in 32 thanks to four birdies and picked up a further five shots on the way home to lay down an early gauntlet on Friday.

The 33-year-old, who won the last of his three European Tour titles at the Omega European Masters in 2007, is three clear of Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen and Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez.

Kjeldsen had seven birdies in his 66 and Jimenez the same number during a round of 67.

Overnight leader Damien McGrane of Ireland dropped two shots in his final four holes to sign for a level-par 72.

McGrane is part of a three-way tie for fourth at six under alongside Welshman Rhys Davies (68) and England’s James Morrison (69).

Solid

World number one Lee Westwood made progress up the leaderboard with a 68 and is well placed for a weekend charge at four under.

Westwood erased memories of his double-bogey finish on Thursday, ending a solid day’s work with his seventh birdie.

Crowd-pleasing American Dustin Johnson is one better off than Westwood, following his opening 70 with a 69, while defending champion Marcus Fraser (70) of Australia is on two under.

It was not such a good day for South Africa’s Ernie Els and Englishman Ian Poulter, who both missed the cut after respective rounds of 73 and 72.