Dean Burmester responded to his only bogey of the day on Friday with four birdies in a row on his way to a share of the lead at the halfway mark of HSBC LIV Golf Hong Kong at 14-under-par through 36 holes.

Burmester and Carlos Ortiz enter this weekend as the co-leaders. Hoping to chase them down is a player whose availability was in doubt to start the week, along with the player who helped him get to Hong Kong.

Thomas Detry was at home in Dubai when the latest Middle East conflict began, among the group of LIV Golf players stranded after the airport was closed. Jon Rahm helped arrange a private flight from the region for seven players and a caddie, with Detry among them.

Detry, in his first season on LIV Golf, is now solo third after 36 holes at Hong Kong Golf Club, shooting a second-round seven-under 63 to move to 13-under, one shot behind Burmester and Ortiz. Rahm, meanwhile, shot 62 and is now solo fourth at 12-under.

Burmester started his round on the first hole in the shotgun start, and made birdies on three and nine. He dropped the only shot of his round on the 10th, and he responded by going on a birdie spree. The four in a row he made from the 11th were followed up by a final one on the 18th to round out his efforts for the day.

“Today I woke up a little stiff,” said Burmester, the Southern Guards GC star, who has won tournaments in each of the last two seasons. “I slept a bit funny, which is weird, and worked hard in the physio bed and came straight back after the wait for the first tee and managed to get my physio out there, and that made a massive difference. Got a little bit of work done on the fourth tee and then I was away.”

Branden Grace had a 65 in the second round, Louis Oosthuizen a 66 and Charl Schwartzel a 67 as the all-South African team Southern Guards GC reached 26-under through halfway and a share of third. In the lead were Smash GC on 35-under.