Garcia, Rose share Thailand Championship lead

Sergio Garcia has shot a seven-under-par round of 65 to share the lead with Justin Rose after two rounds of the Thailand Championship.

Garcia, who finished fourth last year, produced a bogey-free round on Friday which included the shot of the day, a hole in one on the 236-yard (metre) eighth hole, the 10th of his career.

Rose, the US Open champion followed a birdie on the second hole with a bogey on the third, but came back to hole two birdies and an eagle at the 11th for a round of 68 to add to his opening 65.

Their tally of eleven under par gave the pair a two stroke lead over India’s Anirban Lahiri, France’s Alexander Levy , and Germany’s Alex Cejka.

Rickie Fowler of the USA, on his 25th birthday, shot a round of 66 to finish on eight under par.

Henrik Stenson improved from his opening 70 with a round of 67, to finish on seven under par alongside Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, India’s Sujjan Singh and Australia’s Andrew Dodt.

Defending Champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa shot a second round of 73, to finish eight shots of the pace on three under par.

Four-time European Tour champion Cejka had earlier upstaged the star-filled field with an eight-under 64 to take a one-shot lead after the first round.