Sato takes charge of Japan's challenge

Taisei Sato surged up the leaderboard with a scorching eight-under-par 62, propelling him into a four-way tie for the clubhouse lead at the halfway point of the ISPS HANDA Championship.

The 30-year-old, who is still searching for his breakthrough on the JGTO, chalked up nine birdies to offset a lone bogey at Taiheiyo Club's Gotemba Course, joining DP World Tour trio of Yannik Paul of Germany, Sweden's Sebastian Soderberg and England's Sam Bairstow at the summit with a two-day total of 10-under 130.

Paul, who shared the first-round lead with four others, was the sole player to maintain the top spot after carding a second successive 65, while Soderberg and Bairstow both progressed with matching 64s.

Sato, who secured a solo third place finish at the Token Homemate Cup last month, was thrilled to enter the weekend with an opportunity not only to vie for his first JGTO victory but also to secure direct qualification to compete in Europe.

"After the round, I was pleasantly surprised by my performance. I felt I played well and gave it my all. My shots were on point, allowing me to play comfortably," explained Sato.

"I would love to compete abroad, and I'll do the best I can, especially considering the significance of participating in the prestigious DP World Tour event, which is being held at a course I know well.

"While I may not match the dynamism of some of the DP World Tour players, my focus remains on my game and minimising errors. My goal was to achieve a low score, and I'm determined to make the most of this opportunity."

Bairstow, captivated by the picturesque course with Mount Fuji as the backdrop, showcased his top form by recording an impressive scorecard, featuring an eagle, five birdies, and just one bogey.

His eagle on the par-five 18th marked his second consecutive one in as many days.

"I’ve played 18 alright today, so hopefully keep doing that. Hit a couple of nice shots, holed a couple of putts," said Bairstow, who finished third at the Porsche Singapore Classic last month.

"Just keeping things simple, sometimes you can overthink it. Keeping my swing feels and putting stroke simple, and trying to enjoy it.

"It's my first time seeing Fuji. The sight of it around corners as I walk is simply spectacular."

With the tournament delayed following the loss of nearly three hours on the opening day due to thick fog, the second round could not be completed as it was suspended due to fading light.

As it stands, the local contingent remains prominently represented at the top of the leaderboard. 

Taiki Yoshida currently shares fifth place provisionally, sitting at eight-under overall alongside Frenchman Tom Vaillant and England's Matthew Southgate, both of whom posted identical 65s.

Following closely behind, Ryosuke Kinoshita, who carded a 67, is one shot back at 133. 

The group tied for 12th place at six-under includes crowd favourite Keita Nakajima (68), Yuta Kinoshita (67), Taiga Nagano (68), and Masahiro Kawamura (68), all contributing to a strong local presence in the co-sanctioned tournament.

Leading second round scores:

130: Sam Bairstow (Eng) 66-64, Sebastian Soderberg (Swe) 66-64, Yannik Paul (Ger) 65-65, Taisei Sato 68-62;

132: Tom Vaillant (Fra) 67-65, Matthew Southgate (Eng) 67-65;

133: Tom McKibbin (Nir) 69-64, Ryosuke Kinoshita 66-67, Will Enefer (Eng) 70-63;

134: Masahiro Kawamura 66-68, Taiga Nagano 66-68, Yuta Kinoshita 67-67, Song Young-han (Kor) 67-67, Marcel Schneider (Ger) 67-67, Keita Nakajima 66-68, Jaques Kruyswijk (Rsa) 68-66.