Malaysia’s Danny Chia has virtually sealed his second appearance at The Open Championship after carding a second successive three-under-par 69 at the International Final Qualifying – Asia on Wednesday.
 
Chia, who featured at the 2005 Open at St Andrews, produced crucial birdies on the 16th and 17th holes at the Sentosa Golf Club’s Serapong course to top the early leaderboard on six-under-par 138.
 
Australia’s Adam Blyth fired a bogey-free 66 to also put himself within reach of his Major debut while Singaporean Lam Chih Bing and Angelo Que of the Philippines will have to see out for the completion of the second round after signing for two-day totals of 140, which put them in a share of third place.
 
The top-four finishers will qualify for Royal Birkdale in July.
 
A jubilant Chia said: “I didn’t putt well today but I played good. I played within myself and made two birdies coming back when I needed them the most. It’s going to be very exciting to go back to the Open. I was there in 2005 and hopefully I’ve learnt from that and will use it in Royal Birkdale.”
 
With so much at stake, Chia was tentative on the greens and carded birdies on the third and 10th holes. A three-putt bogey on 11 saw him stutter by the Malaysian produced superb eight iron approach shots to within three feet on the 16th and 17th holes which should take him to his second Open Championship.
 
“I struggled on the greens but I knew that I had to get to five or six under to get into the Open. It was kind of confusing out there for me as I was struggling with my putting and I had to tell myself to keep shooting birdies. It was nice to hit a few shots inside five feet towards the end,” said Chia.
 
“I feel proud to be the only Malaysian at the Open. It always feels good to be in the same event alongside the world’s best golfers and it’ll be my goal to try and play well there.”
 
After a 73 on Tuesday, Blyth, an Asian Tour regular, produced the best card of the round with six birdies. “The putts just went in today. I played scrappy yesterday but managed to get myself into position. I’ll be stoked if I can make it to my first Major.”
 
The 26-year-old Australian turned in 34 before making his charge with birdies on the 11th and then three in succession from the 15th to 17th holes . However, he endured some anxious moments on 18, needing to hole a four-footer for par.
 
“I have never been so nervous making that last putt. It was only four feet but you’re thinking about what the putt is for,” said Blyth.
 
Lam was kicking himself after missing a birdie chance on the 18th as he settled for a 68. “If I miss by one, I’ll be very sick. I knew I had to go low and I went out today and the wind died down and that helped. I knew I had to get to six under to have a chance and after 13 holes, I was five under and then missed a really short putt on 14 and that cost me.
 
“I had a good look on 16 but that lipped out and then I just missed by a bit on the last.
I’ll hang around but I don’t think it’ll be enough. I guess I dug myself into a little hole yesterday (when he shot a 72).”
 
Like Lam, Que will also be waiting anxiously for the rest of the field to complete their second rounds. He lamented a roller-coaster day which saw him card four birdies against three bogeys.
 
Early second round scores
138: Danny Chia (Mas) 69-69
139: Adam Blyth (Aus) 73-66
140: Lam Chih Bing (Sin) 72-68, Angelo Que (Phi) 69-71
141: Lloyd Saltman (Sco) 71-70, Mardan Mamat (Sin) 74-67
142: David Gleeson (Aus) 75-67, Will Yanagisawa (USA) 71-71, Ben Leong (Mas) 70-72, Yasin Ali (Eng) 69-73
143: Anthony Kang (USA) 73-70, Brett Bingham (Can) 72-71,
144: Prom Meesawat (Tha) 71-73, Rahil Gangjee (Ind) 77-67
146: Chung Joon (Kor) 72-74, Unho Park (Aus) 75-71
147: Tatsuhiko Ichihara (Jpn) 73-74, Rhys Davies (Wal) 78-69, Shinichi Yokoto (Jpn) 76-71, Juvic Pagunsan (Phi) 72-75, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 75-72
149: Keiichiro Fukabori (Jpn) 70-79, Akinori Tani (Jpn) 76-73, Clay Devers (USA) 82-67
150: Richard Moir (Aus) 75-75, Simon Dunn (Sco) 78-72
153: Zaw Moe (Myn) 75-78, Tadahiro Takayama (Jpn) 76-77
155: Soushi Tajima (Jpn) 78-77
157: Marcus Both (Aus) 77-80
158: Young Nam (USA) 72-86
WD: Jyoti Randhawa (Ind), Gurbaz Maan (Ind), Digvijay Singh (Ind), Tony Carolan (Aus), Antonio Lascuna (Phi)