Profile / Editor / 02 March 2007 / Leave a Comment

Young Englishman Oliver Wilson kept the big guns in the shade in sweltering Phuket to hold the halfway lead at the Johnnie Walker Classic, after an impressive six-under par 66 at the Blue Canyon Country Club.

The Mansfield-born golfer emerged from the pack on day two, firing two eagles and three birdies in his second round to leave him on -10, with a one stroke lead over South African Anton Haig.

Wilson had opened with a steady 68 at the Thailand course but helped by eagles at both the 544-yard 11th and the 586-yard 15th, his second round 66 left the rest trailing in his wake.

The only blip for the 26-year-old former Walker Cup player was a bogey-five at the 403-yard last, leaving him with a 134 total. Having traded to small stakes at 360, Wilson can now be backed at 8.6.

It was certainly a day for emerging talent at the Asian event, with Wilson almost upstaged by little-known South African Haig - trading at 16.5 to take the title.

Still just 20 years of age, Haig equalled the course record of 64 set by Greg Norman in winning this event back in 1994. Seven birdies and an eagle in his eight-under par round lifted him firmly into contention.

But the pair will have to be at the best over the weekend, world number eight Retief Goosen lies just two off the pace alongside Australian James Nitties and Scot Colin Montgomerie is still a danger a further three shots back.

Wilson though will be looking to finally make his mark on the European Tour. He made an impressive start to his Tour career in 2005 with three top tens in his rookie season and secured his card by finishing 97th in the Order of Merit.

Now a resident in Georgia, after a successful college career in America, Wilson improved on that with a 71st-placed finish in 2006.

But he's hardly been pulling up trees since the turn of the year on the Tour finishing tied 31st in the Dubai Desert Classic last time out after a tied 41st at the Abu Dhabi Championship and a joint 29th at the Joburg Open.

Wilson, who came close to finally landing a title when he lost out to Paul Casey in a play-off for the Volvo China Open back in 2005, remains focused however.

Speaking to the gathered media at the end of his round, Wilson insisted he's determined to keep his cool. He said: "I've been working on a few mental things this week trying to stay relaxed and enjoy it and it seems to work.

"If I can keep doing that, you never know, and you never know what will happen on the weekend."

Whether the duo will be able to stay the pace remains to be seen though, with the big names queuing up behind them.

Goosen, the 2.7 favourite, is nicely poised after a pair of 68s and Monty (20) might also fancy his chances. The Scot carded a two-under-par 70 in his second round to move to five under for the tournament, alongside Englishman Graeme Storm.

Ernie Els isn't finding the going quite so straightforward though, the South African is still some way off the leaders on one-under-par, after carding rounds of 73, 70. The former Open champion is trading at 38 to win the event and can be backed at 5.8 to finish in the top five.

Aussie Adam Scott (60) is also on that mark while 2003 Masters champion Mike Weir (220) is a shot further back.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the day was the round of Britain's Stephen Gallacher.

The Scot teed off on day two tied for second after a promising opening 66. But he wilted badly in the heat, registering a forgettable 76 in a round littered with errors.

Gallacher was not alone in being a high-profile name to miss the cut with English duo Paul Casey and Nick Dougherty also forced to pack their bags.

Triumphant Ryder Cup skipper Ian Woosnam will also play no part in the final two days, the Welshman adding an 82 to his opening 73 to crash to an 11-over-par total.

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