Max McCardle has maintained his place inside the all important top-5 on the PGA TOUR China Order of Merit with a top-20 finish in the first event of the second half of the season.

Max McCardle has maintained his place inside the all important top-5 on the PGA TOUR China Order of Merit with a top-20 finish in the first event of the second half of the season.

McCardle, who has four top-5 finishes in seven events for the season to date, remains fourth on the Order of Merit with the top-5 earning access to the Web.com Tour at the end of the year.

Rounds of 69-68-6-72 saw McCardle to a 72-hole total of 9-under the card, good for a T18 placing and a cheque for $3,324.

His season total of almost $58,000 has him $7,000 behind third place but holding a $2,000 lead over fifth place.

Rohan Blizard, who as fifth on the standings when the first half of the season ended in June, has slipped to sixth after a disappointing first week back saw him finish T64.

Local Zecheng Dou is dominating this year’s Tour with four victories in the first seven events.

He is the first player ever to top one million Chinese Yuan in earnings (approximately $200,000) and there are still seven events left to be played on the schedule.

Peter Cooke was top Australian this week claiming a T6 result at 14-under the card, two shots ahead of Sydney’s Andrew Evans who was T12.

Scott Laycock was the last of the Australians inside the top-25, his 7-under total good for a T23 finish.

Jake Stirling (T34), Daniel Nisbet (T43), Christopher Wood (T49), Ray Beaufils and Alex Hawley (T51), Mitch Davis (T55) and Jack Munro (T62) were the others to make the cut. David Luterus, Jake Higginbotom, Peter Martin, James Gibellini, Lincoln Tighe and Christopher Brown all missed the weekend.