Chan bids to become first overseas winner on OCT

　　The Chinese Taipei duo of Chan Yihshin and Hsu Mongnan continued their new-found love affair with the Omega China Tour and will play together on Saturday after heading the leaderboard at the halfway stage of the US$100,000 Guangzhou Championship.

　　Chan, who led by three strokes on the first day after a five-under-par 67, held on to the outright lead on three-under-par 141 following a 74, which included a double-bogey on the par-four fifth.

　　Hsu could have drawn level with his compatriot but narrowly missed his six-foot putt for par on the 18th to post a 72 and finish one stroke off the pace.

　　Defending champion Zhang Lianwei lurks ominously in third place after a second successive 72 at the Dragon Lake Golf Club, venue for the 2010 Asian Games golf event.

　　Chan and Hsu are making their debut on the Omega China Tour. Both are special invites from Chinese Taipei and are making the most of their opportunity.

　　"I'm really enjoying playing on the Omega China Tour and am looking forward to playing with my good friend on Saturday," said Chan, 30, who admitted that he ultimately wanted to play in Europe and the US.

　　The easy-swinging Hsu, who finished third in last year's Mercuries Taiwan Masters on the Asian Tour, continued his steady progress.

　　"I played very carefully out there. My priority was to not make a mistake," said Hsu, who groaned audibly after missing his par-putt on 18, but followed through with a smile.