Chinese-Taipei’s Wang Wei-hsuan [main picture] and Ding Wenyi from China took a share of the halfway lead today at the Asian Games – on the East Course at Kasugai Country Club, in Nagoya, Japan

Wang, the joint-first round leader, added a second-round four-under-par 66 to his opening day 65 to move to nine under, while Ding shot a 64.

Japan’s Kazuki Higa, last year’s Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, fired a 67 to sit in third place with countryman Keita Nakajina, one shot back. Nakajima, who won the individual gold in 2018, returned a 63.

Koreans Tom Kim and Mun Doyeob are next best placed, one back, after a 62 and 67 respectively.

Wang began the day sharing the lead with Higa and continued to set the pace by making the turn in three-under. He began his round on hole 10 and made three birdies on the back nine without dropping a shot. Another birdie followed on his 12^th before he dropped his only shot of the day on his 16^th. A birdie on his penultimate hole saw him move ahead.

He will be aiming to emulate his brother Wang Wei-lun who was part of the Chinese-Taipei team that claimed the gold in 2014.

That same year CT Pan, who currently plays on the PGA TOUR, became the only player from Chinese-Taipei to win gold individually. Chinese-Taipei also won the team title in 2002.

Ding, the three-time China Amateur champion and winner of the Asia Pacific Amateur in 2024, is attempting to become the first player from his country to win individual gold. He was bogey free today, making six birdies.

They were both helped by Higa making a double on his 15^th.

Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho, who claimed the gold medal individually in the last games, fired a 70 and is eight off the lead.

In the team competition Japan lead the way, with China second and Korea, winner of the team gold in 2022, third.

A total of 20 Asian Tour members are competing out of a starting field of 66 players.