Golf: Smail leads Indonesia Open

David Smail. Photo / Getty Images.

New Zealand professional David Smail is the leader at the halfway stage of the Indonesian Open on the OneAsia Tour as he looks for his first win in seven years.

The Waikato pro shot a three under par 69 to reach a seven under par total after two rounds and lead the tournament by one shot from Australian Nick Cullen.

The 2001 New Zealand Open champion made five birdies and two bogeys to claim the outright lead at the Emeralda Golf Club.

Michael Long is the next best Kiwi in a share of 52nd place after rounds of 75 and 73 but the news was not good for fellow New Zealand professional Michael Hendry.

The 2010 Indonesian Open champion fell victim to a little-known golf rule and was disqualified after completing the first round on Thursday.

The Kiwi golfer's club caddy pulled the flagstick from the hole after he played a chip shot on the 9th green and the ball unerringly found the cup.

Golf's Rule 17-1 states: "If the flagstick is not attended, removed or held up before the player makes a stroke, it must not be attended, removed or held up during the stroke or while the player's ball is in motion if doing so might influence the movement of the ball."

If Hendry's ball had missed the cup, no penalty would have resulted, but the ball could have struck the stick had the flag not been pulled.

Ordinarily the infraction would result in a two-shot penalty, but Hendry did not realise the error and signed for a three over par 75. He was disqualified under rule 6.6, which deals with signing an incorrect scorecard.

Hendry was using one of Emeralda Golf Club's local caddies for his round.