Indonesia’s Naraajie E. Ramadhanputra made a bold bid for the front on Day Two of the PIF Saudi Open in Riyadh, posting a six-under-par 66 to wrest the top spot from England’s Joshua Grenville-Wood.

Grenville-Wood, who held the overnight lead after a storming 62 in the first round, could only manage a 71 in his second lap of the Riyadh Golf Club course, and trails the young Indonesian by two shots in the US$200,000 tournament.

Ramadhanputra, winner of the OB Golf Invitational in Jakarta in June, posted six birdies and two bogeys on his way to the lead with 131 strokes in total, and will be looking to push on in the final round of the inaugural Asian Development Tour event in Saudi Arabia.

Australia’s Harrison Gilbert, winner of the Indo Masters Golf Invitational in June, was one of the later starters in Round Two and maintained a steady pace throughout the day. He dropped no shots and picked up six strokes on the field, finishing in solo third on -10 with a flawless 66.

Thailand’s Pisitchai Thippong, who began the day in eighth place, also made a bid for the lead but his round very nearly went off the rails early on when he carded a double bogey on the par 5 second. He was able to get his round back on track, posting a string of pars before climbing on the birdie train at the eighth hole, posting six birdies without loss to finish with a 68 in fourth place. He shares position on nine-under-par with Ahmad Baig of Pakistan who scored a three-under 69.

Low round of the day went to Thailand’s Piya Sawangarunporn with an eight birdie round of 65, dropping just the one shot as he hoisted himself into a share of sixth pace with leading amateur Elyes Barhoumi of Tunisia (68) and Benjamin Follett-Smith of Zimbabwe (69).

Puwit Anupansuebsai of Thailand heads a group on seven-under-par in ninth place, together with Shariffuddin Ariffin of Malaysia and Lloyd Jefferson Go of the Philippines, both of whom are looking to finish strongly in the Order of Merit this season. They hold third and fifth places in the table, with fourth placed Chen Guxin of China not playing this week.

Current OOM leaders, the Thai duo of Suteepat Prateeptienchai and Chonlatit Chuenboonngam, failed to make any significant ground overnight and finished the day well down the field, in 51st and 41st places respectively.

Udayan Mane was able to improve on his first round score with a five-under 67, and also sits in ninth spot with Dodge Kemmer of the USA and amateurs Issa Abouelela of Egypt and home favorite Saud Abdullah Al Sharif.

With 121 players starting the 54 hole tournament, 63 are expected to make the final day, with the cut set at two-under-par. Suteepat, who has won already three times this season, just made it to the last round on the number and