FOUR-WAY LEAD: Australia’s Matt Jager shares the lead with three others after Day 2 of the Solaire Open golf tournament.

Agencies/Manila

Taiwan’s Lin Wen-tang took a share of the lead with a one-over-par 73 in tough conditions on the second day of the Solaire Open in Manila yesterday, thanking a new putter and his decision to stop going to the gym.

Lin was tied on two-under-par 142 with Thai duo Thammanoon Sriroj (69) and Kwanchai Tannin (71) and Australia’s Matt Jager (72) after a blustery day at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in the Philippine capital.

Talented Korean Kim Gi-whan, Richard T Lee of Canada, Elmer Salvador of the Philippines and Pawin Ingkhapradit of Thailand were a further shot back on 143 at the inaugural $300,000 Asian Tour event. Overnight leader Dodge Kemmer of the United States posted 79 to slip to tied ninth.

Lin’s last victory on the Asian Tour was at the 2009 Taiwan Masters. “I struggled with my putting last year and recently changed to a new putter this week. Even though I had two three-putts, I still feel very comfortable with the new putter,” he said.

The 39-year-old spent countless of hours at the gym last year but said he had now decided to stay away. “I went to the gym quite often and my body was feeling sore. There were times when I struggled to swing. I’m getting older and I thought going to the gym would help me get more power. I was wrong! I decided to stop it completely this year,” he said.

Jager, 24, formerly ranked third in the world as an amateur, recovered from a double bogey at the challenging par-three eighth hole, with birdies on holes 12 and 15.

Meanwhile, 2011 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner Juvic Pagunsan of the Philippines had to withdraw from the second round as his wife, who is expected to give birth within a fortnight, was feeling unwell.

Leading Scores 

142:  Thammanoon Sriroj (THA) 73-69, Kwanchai Tannin (THA) 71-71, Matt Jager (AUS) 70-72, Lin Wen-tang (TPE) 69-73

143:  Kim Gi-whan (KOR) 72-71, Richard T. Lee (CAN) 72-71, Elmer Salvador (PHI) 74-69, Pawin Ingkhapradit (THA) 68-75

144:  Tetsuji Hiratsuka (JPN) 71-73, Gunn Charoenkul (THA) 73-71, Unho Park (AUS) 73-71, Carl Santos-Ocampo (PHI) 72-72, Panuwat Muenlek (THA) 74-70, Rahil Gangjee (IND) 75-69