CHEONAN, Sept 10: South African star Ernie Els turned on the style with a three-under-par 69 which put him a stroke behind new leader Terry Pilkadaris of Australia at the halfway stage of the Kolon South Korean Open on Friday.

The world number three fired an eagle, three birdies and two bogeys in the second round at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club to maintain his title charge in the $400,000 Asian Tour event.

The 30-year-old Pilkadaris, who says mental training with his child-psychologist fiancee has helped turn around his game, wielded a hot putter to also shoot a 69 for a two-day total of five-under-par 139. He rolled in three long birdies, including a 50-foot monster on his eighth hole of the day on 17.

First-round leader Hendrik Buhrmann of South Africa and American Edward Loar, who matched the day's low of 69, are three shots off the pace. South Korean amateur Kang Sung-hoon kept up the local charge with a 73 along with 49-year-old Choi Sang-ho, who shot a 72 for tied fifth place with Aussie Richard Moir.

Els' highlight was an eagle on the par-five 11th hole. After ripping a 340-yard drive, he nailed an eight iron to two feet of the hole. Starting from the 10th, Pilkadaris knocked in birdies on 17 and 18 before dropping his only shot of the day on the first. But he bounced back with birdies on the sixth and eighth holes.

LEADING SECOND ROUND SCORES (A DENOTES AMATEUR):