SYDNEY, Australia -- Nick O'Hern shot a 6-under 66 Friday to move into a tie for the lead with fellow Australian Kim Felton after two rounds of the MFS Australian Open.
O'Hern and Felton, who shot 69 Friday, were both at 8-under 136 after the second round on The Australian course, one stroke ahead of a group of four that includes first-round leader Lee Williamson of the United States.
Williamson, who led by one after the first round, shot 72 Friday and is tied with Australians James Nitties (66), Robert Allenby (70) and Andrew Bonhomme (70).
Australian veteran Craig Parry equaled the course record of 64 held by Greg Norman and Steve Elkington and was two strokes behind the leaders.
Michael Campbell, the 2005 U.S. Open champion who missed the cut at the New Zealand Open two weeks ago, did the same here, shooting rounds of 78 and 80. He is a member at The Australian club and has a house not far from the course.
"It is amazing, the game of golf," Campbell said. "When you are out there playing well, you have all good luck. When things aren't going your way, you get plugged lies, bad lies in the rough. It is just what the golfing gods give you."
Defending champion John Senden also missed the cut by one stroke, shooting a second-round 74 for a 1-over total of 145.
O'Hern shot a sizzling, seven-birdie, one-bogey 66 in the perfect sunshine, while unheralded first-round leader Williamson put together a rollercoaster second-round 72 that featured an eagle, five birdies and seven bogeys.
The lowest round of the day, however, belonged solely to Parry, who sparkled in his bogey-free 64.
"It helped that the course was in great nick," Parry said afterward. "But I must say my caddie read the greens superbly and I have a lot to thank him for, especially in so far as stopping me from putting too wide."
Stuart Appleby, who missed the cut last week at the Australian PGA Championship and started a little sluggishly here on Thursday, took advantage of an early start with a 4-under 68 highlighted by four birdies and a spectacular eagle at the par-5 fifth, to move to 5-under alongside impressive American Brandt Snedeker.
Australia's former US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy stumbled with a 72 that put him and his group four shots back from the leaders, while Aaron Baddeley (71) and Peter Lonard (70) are among the large numbers of players logjammed at 3 under.
American Ryan Moore, a former U.S. Amateur winner, and New Zealander David Smail were also in this group and, along with all those beside or above them, are still very much in contention heading into what is sizing up as a tense, tight battle all the way to the end.
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