Soomin Lee charged to the top of the Moutai Singapore Open leaderboard on Friday, closing his second round with back-to-back birdies for an eight-under-par 64 and a 12-under total at the halfway stage.

The Korean star, who famously shot a 64 on the same layout in 2011 en route to a runner-up finish at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, kept that magic alive despite a redesigned New Course at Singapore Island Country Club.

Ten players trail Lee by two shots at 10-under: Kevin Yuan, Matthew Cheung, Ian Snyman, Wang Wei-hsuan, John Catlin, Sarit Suwannarut, James Piot, Caleb Surratt, Ollie Schniederjans and Jeunghun Wang.

Lee leans on comfort, confidence in Singapore return

Lee credited his comfort on the course for a composed round built on nine birdies against a lone bogey. A bogey on the second hole quickly gave way to a blistering stretch of four straight birdies starting at the third, setting the rhythm.

The 32-year-old, a former DP World Tour winner and five-time Korean PGA champion, is chasing his maiden Asian Tour triumph after years of steady play. A recent top-10 finish in the International Series Philippines boosted him to 72nd on the Order of Merit, and another strong week could secure his card for 2026.

Lee capitalized on the scoring opportunities coming home, attacking the drivable par-four 17th and reaching the par-five 18th in two to set up a closing birdie.

Big names lurk, while some fall short of the weekend

Reigning Order of Merit winner John Catlin kept pace with a bogey-free 66 featuring an eagle on the fourth and four birdies, while Jeunghun Wang continued his strong season after a playoff loss in Macau.

Kazuki Higa and Scott Vincent both missed the cut, finishing at one-under and three-under respectively, opening the door in the season-long standings. Filipino standout Miguel Tabuena shot a 68 to sit at eight-under and in prime position to climb the rankings.

Singapore amateurs Brayden Lee and Troy Storm also impressed. Lee carded a 68 to reach seven-under, while Storm, just 16, rebounded from a rough start with three birdies in his final four holes to post a 72 and move to five-under alongside Paul Casey.