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Gold Coast - Australia's Andrew Dodt fired a five-under 67 to hold a
two-shot halfway lead in the Australian PGA Championship with Adam Scott making
his move at the Royal Pines Resort on Friday.
Overnight leader Dodt fought his way to the top of the
leader board after Ashley Hall carded a three-under 69 to be the early
clubhouse leader.
Dodt holed six birdies and a bogey in the lowest round of
the day to get to 12 under and lead at the halfway stage of the European Tour
co-sanctioned event.
World number seven and 2013 US Masters champion Adam Scott
surged home in 32 for a second consecutive round of 68 to be at eight under and
four strokes behind Dodt.
New Zealander Ryan Fox was in joint third with Scott after a
three-under 69 and a shot clear of American Harold Varner III, who carded a par
72.
Dodt, who has made just seven of 20 cuts this season, is
chasing his third European Tour title.
"The first handful of holes were really solid then I
made a few birdies," Dodt said.
"Then the back nine was as good as it gets. I hit a lot
of fairways, a lot of greens and holed some putts."
Hall made birdies on the 12th, 14th, 15th and last in his
remaining seven holes while Varner's birdie-birdie finish to complete his
weather-delayed first round lifted him to the top of the leader board with
Dodt.
Hall added a hat-trick of gains from the 13th and when he
made another birdie on the third, he was four shots clear.
A triple-bogey was to follow on the next hole as he found
the water and missed a short putt before recovering with birdies on the fifth
and eighth.
Scott made a slow start, bogeying the second but he got back
level on the ninth and that proved a catalyst as he came home in at 32, adding
birdies on the tenth, 12th, 15th and 16th.
"It was a good day to do it because it wasn't that
easy," Scott said.
"My striking was crisp at the ball. It was strong.
"I started driving the ball properly and it carried
onto the rest of my game as well."
Varner battled back from back-to-back double-bogeys on the
15th and 16th with three birdies in his last five holes to sit a shot ahead of
Australian John Senden and fellow American Julian Suri.
Greg Chalmers, Brad Kennedy and Thailand's Natipong Srithong
were at five under.
132 - Andrew Dodt (AUS) 65-67
134 - Ashley Hall (AUS) 65-69
136 - Ryan Fox (NZL) 67-69, Adam Scott (AUS) 68-68
137 - Harold Varner III (USA) 65-72
138 - John Senden (AUS) 70-68, Julian Suri (USA) 67-71
139 - Brad Kennedy (AUS) 71-68, Greg Chalmers (AUS) 70-69, Natipong Srithong (THA) 68-71
140 - Ian Poulter (ENG) 72-68, Brett Rumford (AUS) 69-71, Matthew Griffin (AUS) 66-74, Daniel Popovic (AUS) 70-70, Paul Waring (ENG) 68-72, Geoff Drakeford (AUS) 68-72
141 - Brett Coletta (AUS) 72-69, Stephen Leaney (AUS) 71-70, Stephen Gallacher (SCO) 72-69, Daniel Nisbet (AUS) 69-72
142 - Brett Drewitt (AUS) 73-69, Jarrod Lyle (AUS) 69-73, Ben Eccles (AUS) 73-69, Oliver Farr (WAL) 69-73, Ryan McCarthy (AUS) 72-70, Ryan Haller (AUS) 71-71, Nick Cullen (AUS) 68-74, Danny Lee (NZL) 69-73, Cameron Davis (AUS) 74-68, Rhein Gibson (AUS) 71-71, Rohan Blizard (AUS) 69-73
