Sebastian Söderberg surged ahead in the Volvo China Open, firing a stunning seven under par 65 to secure a three-shot lead heading into the weekend at Hidden Grace Golf Club in Shenzhen.
The Swede’s exceptional performance follows his impressive opening round of 63, bringing his total score to 16 under par after two rounds of play.
Starting on the back nine, Söderberg quickly set the pace with six birdies in his first nine holes.
Despite a bogey on the par-four first hole, he maintained his composure, finishing the round with eight birdies and a single bogey.
He later added two more birdies on the front nine to establish his lead over the competition.
Sebastian Söderberg: It’s been two very good days and I’m in a pretty good position. We’re only halfway through the tournament and with the course being so soft I know there will be some low scores over the weekend. You have to make sure you hit it pretty straight off the tee round here.
I need to remain in the present and focus on the positives over the negatives. It’s important to focus on my own game and not worry about how others are doing. It’s going to be a mental challenge over the weekend for sure.
I feel pretty confident with my game at the moment but obviously the pressure will be a lot higher with me at the top of the leaderboard heading into the weekend. I really need to keep my emotions in check and hopefully I can get over the line.
I know what it takes to win out here and I’ve been in contention over the last two weeks. I’m going to stay as calm as possible.
England’s Paul Waring had an equally strong showing, carding a seven under par round of 65 to move into second place at 13 under par, one shot ahead of Italy’s Guido Migliozzi, a three-time DP World Tour winner.
The trio of Adrian Otaegui, Joel Girrbach, and Gordan Brixi share fourth place at 11 under par, while South Africa’s Zander Lombard and Lloyd Jefferson Go, representing the Philippines, sit one stroke further back in seventh.
Söderberg’s performance not only places him atop the leaderboard but also solidifies his position in the Asian Swing Rankings.
The Volvo China Open is the final event in the Asian Swing, with the winner receiving $200,000 and entry into the Back Nine events.
Additionally, the top three finishers will secure a coveted spot in the US PGA Championship later this month.
