Contesting his fifth event in six weeks, Smith showed no signs of fatigue in carving out a blemish-free seven-under-par 64 in the second round at Riyadh Golf Club. 

Australia’s 2022 Open champion found 16 of 18 greens in regulation and converted for seven birdies to join fellow LIV Golf star Joaquin Niemann and U.S pair Logan McAllister and Peter Uihlein atop the leaderboard at 11 under for the tournament.

“Just played really solid,” said the Ripper GC skipper.

“I didn’t really do too much wrong. Bogey-free game was nice. It was just really quite an easy round of golf, which is obviously nice.

“It was nice getting out there this morning and no wind. With a bit of jet lag, being off early I think it kind of actually worked out in our favour.”

Smith is backing up after a disappointing weekend fade at last week’s Australian Open in Melbourne and looking to end his thus-far winless 2024 campaign with a bang.    

“A win would be great,” Smith said.

After finishing equal fifth at Kingston Heath on Sunday, Niemann has continued his strong form in Saudi, the Chilean backing up his first-round 65 with a 66 at the $US5 million Asian Tour event.

“I’ve been playing great,” Niemann said.

“I feel like I’ve been missing that (final) round the last couple tournaments that I’ve played. 

“I’ve been having a chance to win all of those weeks, but I just didn’t have that good Sunday.

“Right now, my form has been the best, a really good first two rounds. There’s still a lot of golf to play, and I’m looking forward to that.”

Niemann, the 2023 Australian Open champion, is chasing a third win of the year but will also have to keep McAllister at bay after the American fired an eight-under 63 course record in the second round.

Uihlein is also 11 under after a 65, with Englishman Tyrrell Hatton a stroke further back after equalling the course record with his own round of 63.

Australian Travis Smyth (66) is also only one off the pace and one shot in front of countryman and Smith’s Ripper GC teammate Matt Jones (66).

Lucas Herbert is five under through 36 holes following a second-round 69, but Marc Leishman missed the cut at even par following his tie for third at the Australian Open.