Overnight leader Brendan Jones shot a 3-under-par 67 Friday and was joined at the top of the leaderboard by Hideki Kase at the midway point of the season-ending Nippon Series JT Cup.

Australian Jones, who is seeking his third title of the season, made five birdies through 17 holes at the par-70 Tokyo Yomiuri Country Club before making a double bogey on the 18th, while Kase moved into a share of the lead on 8-under 132 after a second straight 66.

Kase finished two strokes ahead of last week's Casio World Open winner David Smail of New Zealand (67), Australian Paul Sheehan (65) and Keiichiro Fukabori (65).