Golf: Fox shares lead in New Caledonia

Auckland professional Ryan Fox is in a five-way share of the lead after two rounds of the South Pacific Golf Open Championship in New Caledonia. Photo / Kerry Marshall.

Auckland professional Ryan Fox is in a five-way share of the lead after two rounds of the South Pacific Golf Open Championship in New Caledonia.

The 25-year-old carded rounds of 66 and 68 at the Tina Golf Club for an eight under par total alongside hometown favourite Jean-Louis Guepy and Australians Matthew Griffin, Clint Rice and Matthew Guyatt.

Fox has enjoyed a good debut season in the professional ranks as he looks to qualify for the PGA Tour at the end of the season. He currently leads the NZ PGA Order of Merit and has won three times at the Fiji Open, Tahiti Open and Martinborough Pro-Am.

Waikato professional Brad Shilton is in a share of sixth, only one shot behind the leaders after carding rounds of 67 and 68. Wellington professional Nick Gillespie is five shots behind the leaders with Joshua Carmichael 27th and Pieter Zwart 61st.

Meanwhile, on the Japan Golf Tour, New Zealand No 2 David Smail is in a share of fifth at the Coca-Cola Tokai Classic.

The 42-year-old, who has played for 15 consecutive years on the Japan Golf Tour, is only two shots behind leader Tadahiro Takayama from Japan.

Smail is currently 66th on the Japan Golf Tour Order of Merit and needs to finish inside the top 70 to keep his card.

Across the Pacific, Manawatu's Tim Wilkinson was in a share of 17th at the Chiquita Classic on the web.com Tour in North Carolina before poor light suspended play.

Wilkinson is 51st on the web.com Tour Order of Merit and needs to climb inside the top 25 to advance to the PGA Tour. New Zealand No 1 Danny Lee, who finished runner-up last week in Texas, is in a share of 54th, Josh Geary is 76th, Steven Alker 122nd and Grant Waite 142nd.