Canadian Richard T. Lee looks like a man on a mission at this week’s International Series Egypt after he moved into the lead on day two, bidding to make amends for letting victory slip from his grasp last week.

Lee shot a five-under-par 65 at the par-70 Madinaty Golf Club to go to 11-under-par for the USD1.5 million event, one shot ahead of American Andy Ogletree who carded a 64. American Sihwan Kim is a shot further back following a 66 in the ground-breaking tournament that marks the first time the Asian Tour has visited Egypt.

Two-time Japan Golf Tour winner Jinichiro Kozuma from Japan is tied with Kim after shooting 64, impressively one of the few players to make a challenge in the more difficult afternoon conditions when the wind was stronger. Overnight leader Scott Hend from Australia had a disappointing day shooting a 74 to sit seven off the pace.

In-form Lee was on course to win last week’s International Series Morocco but made a costly bogey on the penultimate hole while Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond stormed through to win at the death with an eagle, birdie finish. However, the loss has clearly done nothing to Lee's confidence: he birdied six of the last seven holes on the front nine to go 10 under on the front nine for the first two days. He nearly aced the par-three eighth where his tee shot hit the flag leaving him a tap in for a two.

“I feel like it is more comfortable to my eyes on the front nine, the back nine is a bit harder for me, I feel like I can’t putt as well as the front nine, yesterday and today,” said Lee, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, with the most recent being the 2017 Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea.

“My game is solid right now, mentally I am also feeling confident. We still have 36 holes out there. I just want to play my game, I don’t want to think I have got to beat this person, or that person.

“I am just going to play my game, play my front nine again, and try and shoot five or six under par again. I just want to get this win first and see where it goes from there.”

Ogletree, the US Amateur champion in 2019, is a rookie on the Asian Tour this year and is putting together his best performance so far this year.

“You got to take advantage of playing in the morning out here, there's not much wind, and I got off to a good start, four under through nine,” said 24-year-old Ogletree. “Had a lot of opportunities coming down the stretch, it could have been a lot better, but very pleased with how I'm playing and should be in good position going into the weekend.”

All thee Malaysians in the field - Ben Leong (71, 71), Nicholas Fung (71, 73) and Daeng Abdul Rahman (72, 76) - failed to make the halfway cut which came at even-par.

Round 2 Scores (Top 10 and ties):
129 - Richard T. Lee (CAN) 64-65.
130 - Andy Ogletree (USA) 66-64.
131 - Sihwan Kim (USA) 65-66, Jinichiro Kozuma (JPN) 67-64.
132 - Trevor Simsby (USA) 65-67, Jaco Ahlers (RSA) 64-68, Travis Smyth (AUS) 65-67, Jarin Todd (USA) 66-66.
133 - Bernd Wiesberger (AUT) 66-67, Prom Meesawat (THA) 67-66, Seungtaek Lee (KOR) 63-70, Ayoub Lguirati (MOR) 66-67, Jeunghun Wang (KOR) 65-68, Pawin Ingkhapradit (THA) 63-70.