SEOUL — Rory McIlroy feels he left a few shots out on the course despite fighting back after a poor start to fire a second round two-under-par 69 at the Korean Open Friday to sit just two shots off the lead at the halfway mark. The world No. 6 is still searching for his first win of a disappointing season and offset seven birdies with five bogeys at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club near Cheonan, south of Seoul, to tie for fifth at the one billion Korean won ($940,300) event. South Korea's Hong Soon-sang was the clubhouse leader midway through Friday's second round after firing a bogey-free 68 for a five-under total. McIlroy is back in action following a four-week break and explained what was required to get back in the winner's circle. Els rallies South African Ernie Els hit a six-under-par 65 to trail halfway leader Mohammad Siddikur of Bangladesh by one shot at the Venetian Macau Open Friday. The four-time Major champion struck nine birdies against three bogeys for a two-day total of six-under-par 136. Siddikur struck 66 in his round which included three birdies over his closing four holes, a running total of 135, in his bid to win a second Asian Tour tournament. Els said he was disappointed to miss a two-foot birdie chance at the last hole which would have resulted in a tie with Siddikur for the lead. Hedblom takes 2-stroke lead Peter Hedblom shot a 3-under 69 Friday to take a two-stroke lead after two rounds of the Perth International. The Swede, who is at 7-under 137, is two strokes clear of Ross Fisher, who had the lowest round of the day with a 5-under 67. Hedblom needs a win in Perth to retain his European Tour card. Only the top 110 players on the tour qualify for the Race to Dubai, and Hedblom was 179th heading into the Perth tournament. Fisher chipped in from the bunker at the sixth for one of six birdies. He's in second place, one shot ahead of Soren Hansen, Jin Jeong, Clint Rice, Josh Younger and Dimitrios Papadatos. Defending champion Bo Van Pelt has a share of eighth at 3 under, while Dustin Johnson, who had a share of the first-round lead, is tied for 21st at 1-under. Henry surges ahead JJ Henry eagled his last hole to complete a flawless 11-under par 60 and seize the first-round lead in the US PGA Tour's Shriners Hospital Open. Henry, who teed off on the 10th hole at TPC Summerlin, rolled in a 50-foot eagle putt at the par-five ninth to cap his round. On a day when birdies abounded, Henry had a one-stroke lead over Argentina's Andres Romero — who had six birdies and two eagles in his 10-under 61. Americans James Driscoll, Jonathan Byrd and Jeff Overton were tied for third on 63, one stroke in front of Webb Simpson. — Agencies
