Karlsson carves out four-shot lead

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Scotland's Barry Hume, Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell and another former winner at the Hong Kong Golf Club, Simon Dyson, lead a congested group containing 2003 Masters champion Mike Weir and South Africa's Trevor Immelman at seven-under.

Welshman Garry Houston failed to repeat the form shown during his opening round 63, but remains high on the leaderboard after a one-over 71 dropped him to six-under alongside Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Liang Wen-chong, overnight leader KJ Choi of Korea and Sweden's Daniel Chopra.

Karlsson admits he usually avoids the trip to Hong Kong after previously struggling around the quick Fanling greens but his new approach to the tricky short course paid off again with devastating effects.

The 38-year-old began where he left off by sinking a 15-foot birdie putt at the short par three second before picking up back-to-back shots at the par four seventh despite finding the trees off the tee, then at the short par-three eighth after nailing the tee shot to three feet to reach the turn three-under on the day.

Karlsson was at it again at the 10th, holing from 10 feet, before finishing his immaculate round with a 20-foot birdie putt at the tricky 17th and 10-footer at the last.

"I have understood exactly what I need to do to have a good score around this golf course and then it is up to me to do it. So far I have done well. I used my driver only once at the sixth," said Karlsson, who held on to halfway leads on his way to victory at The Celtic Manor Wales Open and The Deutsche Bank Players Championship of Europe last year.

"I would give myself nine of 10 for yesterday and probably also a nine even though it was a bit different, they were very different nines.

"I missed birdie putts at both the par fives, three putted the 14th and missed from five feet at number three. But at the same time I was in trouble a couple of times and saved myself.

"My target is to play on Saturday and right now that is my only target that I am focusing on. With the course in the condition it is in there are a lot of low scores out there, but it is important for me to keep going."