Neergaard-Petersen and Rodrigues seize control at Royal Melbourne

European duo Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen and Daniel Rodrigues have seized the Australian Open lead after capitalising on calmer conditions at Royal Melbourne.

European pair Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen and Daniel Rodrigues took advantage of gentle conditions on Friday at Royal Melbourne to storm to the Australian Open lead.

Denmark’s Neergaard-Petersen and Portugal’s Rodrigues shot second rounds of 66 and 64 respectively to move to nine-under and lead the tournament by a stroke from Perth product Min Woo Lee.

Lee’s second-round 65 included four birdies and an eagle on the par-four 10th, where he holed his second shot gwith a 176m nine-iron.

“If I keep playing like this, I’ll be pretty happy,” Lee said.

Tournament drawcard Rory McIlroy overcome a bogey on the par-five 14th that included an air-swing in the bushes to birdie three of his final four holes and finish the day at two-under after a Friday round of 68.

“I needed to play those last four holes that way I did,” McIlroy said.

“Not one of my finer moments on 14. I can’t remember the last time I had a fresh air (swing).”

Three players – Queensland pair Cameron Smith and Adam Scott, and Mexican Carlos Ortiz – finished the day just two strokes off the lead at seven-under.

Smith’s second-round 65 was a welcome return to form for the 2022 British Open champion.

“I’m really stoked,” Smith said.

“It’s been a while so I’m happy I’m up there.”

Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen plays his second shot on the 14th hole at Royal Melbourne during his second-round 66. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images

Neergaard-Petersen, who like Smith missed the cut at last week’s Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane, said the Royal Melbourne layout was “completely different” on Friday compared to Thursday, when there was much more wind to contend with.

“(It was) a lot easier to control the ball, and to put the ball in the right spots around the greens and give yourself some chances,” said Neergaard-Petersen, who was confident of continuing his good form on the weekend.

“I feel like I’ve proved over the last year or so that I have the level to compete out here and be in the thick of things on Sunday.”

New Zealand’s Ryan Fox, who was one of three leaders after round one, shot an even-par second-round of 71 to remain at six-under overall.

“I just felt like I had one of those days where I was always in between clubs, and that’s not great out here,” Fox said.

“They had the pins a little tougher today (Friday) than they did yesterday and it just felt like I couldn’t get close to the hole, and I didn’t putt as well as yesterday.”

Other players alongside Fox at six-under after the morning groups were his fellow Kiwi Daniel Hillier, South Korea’s Si Woo Kim, Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello, China’s Wenyi Ding, Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat and American Caleb Surratt

Queenslander Elvis Smylie, who also had a share of the lead after round one, dropped to five-under after a second-round 72.

Originally published as Neergaard-Petersen and Rodrigues seize control at Royal Melbourne