Singapore's Mardan Mamat produced a two-under-par, second-round 70 in tough conditions on Friday to open up a three-shot lead at the ICTSI Philippine Open. TaylorMade RocketBallZ RBZ Irons with steel shafts


Chasing a third Asian Tour victory, but a first since 2006, the veteran took on the notorious Wack Wack Golf and Country Club's East course to make two birdies in a bogey free round that took him to a 5-under 139, 36-hole total and propelled him into a three-shot lead over American Ben Fox and local favourites Antonio Lascuna and Ferdinand Aunzo.

Whole Lascuna shot 71 and Aunzo matched Mamat's 70, Fox scrambled to a 73 in Asia's oldest national championship to lie in a tie for second on 142.

Korea's Mo Joong-kyung, Filipino teenager Miguel Tabuena, Chinese Taipei's Lu Tze-shyan and American rookie Sam Cyr were among the 10 players still under par and bunched on 143 going into the weekend rounds.

Coming off a relatively quiet 2011 season, Mardan broke away from a packed leaderboard with easy birdies on the fifth and 10th holes and then, going into the last three holes, I told himself that it would be a bonus if he could stay bogey free.

"The winds were swirling a lot, but I was pretty much in control of my swing and I managed to do it,", he said.

The 44-year-old finished 57th on the Asian Tour's Order of Merit last season, his lowest position since 1998, despite enjoying one runner-up finish and felt that splitting his time b between the Asian and Japan Tours had hurt hisTaylorMade RocketBallZ RBZ Irons with steel shafts