( CNN ) -- Charl Schwartzel stayed on course to achieve his first win since claiming the 2011 U.S. Masters crown as he took a four-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Thailand Championship Friday . The South African shot a seven under par 65 for a 14 under par 130 total at Amata Spring Country Club . Daniel Chopra of Sweden carded a 67 for second place with Japan 's Masanori Kobayashi a shot further back . Rising Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa shot a fine 66 for 136 while this year 's Masters champion Bubba Watson of the United States and Spain 's Sergio Garcia were in the group on 138 . Schwartzel is hopeful of ending his 20-month victory drought , particularly as he has found form on the putting green . `` It is still a long way to go . It 's half the job done . From my side , I just have to keep playing , '' he told the official European Tour website . `` I 've been reading them ( putts ) well . The stroke feels good . I 've gone through a long two years where I 've missed a lot of putts . A few goes in , it 's nice . '' Ryder Cup star Garcia had three birdies in his last five holes to take closer order in a high class field . `` I 'm in a decent position , '' he said . Meanwhile , Marcus Fraser carded a second straight three-under-par in the Australian Open in Sydney to take a one-shot lead at halfway . The home hope leads fellow Australians Brendan Jones ( 71 ) and first-round leader John Senden , who were tied for second at The Lakes . In-form Englishman Justin Rose was in a group tied for fifth at three under going into the weekend , while American legend Tom Watson carded a superb 68 Friday to make the cut by a stroke . Watson is on the same mark as defending champion Greg Chalmers , who slipped back with a second round 75 . The opening event of the 2013 European Tour , the inaugural Nelson Mandela Championship , has yet to get underway at Royal Durban in South Africa . Heavy rainfall left the course flooded for the second straight day but organizers hope to get the delayed event started Saturday . In the Dubai Ladies Masters , the concluding event of the Ladies European Tour , China 's Shanshan Feng continued to lead the way after the third round . She carded a 67 for 18-under-par at the Emirates Golf Club , but Dutch woman Dewi Claire Schreefel made inroads into her lead with a tournament record 63 to trail by five . France 's Gwladys Nocera was a shot back at 12-under , one ahead of Germany 's Caroline Masson and Cindy Lacrosse of the United States .
South African Charl Schwartzel leads at halfway in Thailand Championship . Hide Caption 8 of 9 Photos:Photos: The best photos from the 2015 World Cup Nelson Mandela Championship in South Africa hit by flooding . China 's Shanshan Feng leads after three rounds of Dubai Ladies Masters .