In-form Söderberg leads by 3 shots at China Open on European tour

SHENZHEN, China (AP) — Sebastian Söderberg looks ready to turn a pair of second-place finishes into a win on the European tour.

The Swedish golfer shot 7-under 65 in the second round of the China Open on Friday, giving him a three-stroke lead on 16 under par overall.

Paul Waring of England was alone in second place after a 65, with Guido Migliozzo (67) in third, one shot further back.

The No. 98-ranked Söderberg has been runner-up in the last two events — the Indian Open and the ISPS Handa Championship. They are part of his five top-10 finishes in his nine tournaments so far in the 2024 season.

“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,” Söderberg said. “I really need to keep my emotions in check and hopefully I can get over the line.”

The four-tournament “Asian Swing” concludes after the China Open and the best performer in those events will earn $200,000 and be among those gaining a spot in the US PGA Championship this month. Söderberg leads those rankings at the moment.

The China Open is back on the European tour schedule after an absence of five years.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf