'Hopefully, I will have a few more steady rounds. Everything clicked for me'

China's top professional Zhang Lianwei is feeling 'right at home' after upstaging heavyweights John Daly and Lee Westwood to take a one-shot lead at the half-way mark at the US$250,000 Macau Open yesterday.

After Thursday's inclement weather, the sun shone and 36-year-old Zhang blazed through the Macau Golf and Country Club by firing a sizzling seven-under-par 64 in a bogey-free round that equalled defending champion Simon Dyson's course record set last year.

However, Zhang cannot share the record because 'preferred lies' were used under the Royal and Ancient rules, but the Shenzhen-based golfer was still delighted that his hopes of winning his first Davidoff Tour title had been boosted.

Taiwan's Tsai Chi-huang fired a four-under-par 67 to lie in second place, with American Scott Taylor and South Korean Anthony Kang both tied for third two shots further adrift after carding a 69 and a 65 respectively.

Zhang said playing in Macau was like playing in his own backyard. 'Macau is like a second home to me. It's so close to Shenzhen [where Zhang is based] and everybody speaks Cantonese and the Macau Government is very supportive of golf,' said Zhang, who has a 134-total. 'I have been dreaming of winning on the Davidoff Tour. If I continue to play well, I will have a chance.'

Zhang won the 1996 Volvo Asian Matchplay in Indonesia, but he has yet to taste success in strokeplay on the Davidoff Tour.

'I will just go out there and play my game. Hopefully, I will have a few more steady rounds. Everything clicked for me today. I sank some long putts,' said Zhang, who had seven birdies.