GOLF TOUR NEWS: WHAT A difference a day makes. Rory McIlroy initially played up his chances on the Hong Kong Open greens but yesterday those comments came back to haunt him as grainy greens and a cold putter left the Race to Dubai challenger ruing what might have been.
All is far from lost, however, for although McIlroy struggled with the blade, so too did Lee Westwood as the chief protagonists in the race to become Europe’s number one continue to jockey for position.
McIlroy holds sway, albeit marginally, at the halfway stage after carding a second round 68 to advance to six under at the Fanling venue. Westwood could only manage a level par 70 to remain on four under.
The front nine was a smooth passage for McIlroy as back-to-back birdies from the fifth and the rest pars ensured a front nine of 32. It should have been better though as he missed a two-foot birdie attempt at the ninth.
Frustrations grew when he saw a six-foot birdie effort roll around the cup on 12 before a third birdie eventually came at the 13th but it was immediately given back with a bogey at the next.
The remainder of the round became one of further frustration for the 20-year-old as genuine birdies were given up, particularly at the 16th and 17th.
“I played really well, the putts just stopped dropping on the back nine. I think it is to do with the time of the day as the grain affects the ball a lot. As the sun starts to go down the grass grows and affects it,” said McIlroy, who has no intention of holding back over the weekend.
“I can get myself right in it if I shoot a good front nine tomorrow (Saturday) – I can put pressure on the leaders with a fast start.”
Peter Lawrie continues to keep pace with McIlroy and matched his younger counterpart for the second consecutive day to also be six under.
Those not familiar with the conditions in this part of the world have all struggled on the greens, not least Westwood.
The Race to Dubai leader was the model of consistency from tee to green but needs to find a way of converting birdies if he is to remain competitive. For all yesterday’s good play tee to green Westwood only managed one birdie at the 10th which was offset by a solitary bogey at the ninth as the rest of the card showed 16 pars.
Westwood was joined on four under by friend and stablemate Darren Clarke after he shot 67, while Graeme McDowell was one better after a 68.
Michael Hoey’s 68 wasn’t enough haul him over to the right side of the cut mark as he finished one over – two shots too many. Shane Lowry was way off the pace after a disappointing 78 left the Clara golfer towards the foot of the field on 10 over.
It’s tightly bunched at the top of the leaderboard with France’s Gregory Bourdy (67), China’s Liang Wen-Chong (65), South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel (66) and Robert-Jan Derksen (68) from The Netherlands commanding a share of the lead on nine under.
Bourdy, last year’s Estoril Open winner, dropped his third shot of the day at the last to let slip the outright lead. Derksen had got to 11 under but finished with back-to-back bogeys, while Liang boosted his slender hopes of winning the Asian Tour Order of Merit with a bogey-free, equal best of the day 65.
Liang currently occupies the 60th and final qualifying spot for next week’s season-ending Dubai World Championship, while Derksen (78th) and Bourdy (87th) must finish at least second in Hong Kong to stand a chance of heading to the Middle East for the lucrative showpiece.
“It was a good day. I was consistent but made a double bogey on the eighth and bogey on the 18th which was a shame with three putts,” said Bourdy.
“But my game was good and I am confident for the weekend. There are plenty of positives to take into the last two rounds and if I keep playing like this I will be okay on Sunday.” First-round leader Udorn Duangdecha tumbled down the leaderboard as the Thai followed his storming 62 with a four-over-par 74.
Hong Kong Open
LEADING SECOND ROUND SCORES
(Irish and Brit unless stated, par 70):
131- R J Derksen (Ned) 63 68, C Schwartzel (Rsa) 65 66, W-C Liang (Chn) 66 65, G Bourdy (Fra) 64 67.
132- R Sabbatini (Rsa) 65 67, C Phadungsil (Tha) 66 66.
133- D Dixon 64 69, S Strange (Aus) 68 65, W-T Lin (Tpe) 64 69, Y-E Yang (Kor) 66 67, D Chia (Mal) 67 66
134- F Molinari (Ita) 66 68, W C Lu (Tha) 65 69, R Davies 65 69, Peter Lawrie 66 68, S S P Chowrasia (Ind) 65 69, R Jacquelin (Fra) 66 68, Rory McIlroy 66 68, I Poulter 68 66, A-R Zahari (Mal) 68 66, M Foster 65 69
135- Graeme McDowell 67 68, D Howell 69 66, M Pucay (Phi) 68 67, S Dyson 68 67, P Larrazabal (Spa) 68 67, T Jaidee (Tha) 64 71, J Knutzon (USA) 68 67, G Storm 68 67, A Kang (USA) 69 66, K Aphibamrat (Tha) 68 67, C Nirat (Tha) 70 65, J Randhawa (Ind) 66 69
136- S Kapur (Ind) 68 68, L-W Zhang (Chn) 67 69, S Drummond 69 67, Darren Clarke 69 67, U Duangdecha (Tha) 62 74, M Mamat (Sin) 68 68, A McLardy (Rsa) 68 68, T Carolan (Aus) 65 71, L Westwood 66 70
137- R Gangjee (Ind) 67 70, A Dodt (Aus) 69 68, B Curtis (USA) 65 72, S Khan 67 70, J Pagunsan (Phi) 67 70, M Both (Aus) 70 67, M A Jimenez (Spa) 68 69, S y j Hak (Hkg) 70 67, I Garrido (Spa) 67 70, J-F Lucquin (Fra) 69 68, B Dredge 66 71
138- C Cevaer (Fra) 71 67, T-C Wang (Tpe) 66 72, J M Singh (Ind) 71 67, D Beck (Aus) 68 70, A Hansen (Den) 68 70, C Montgomerie 69 69, S Yates 70 68, C-b Lam (Sin) 71 67, C Plaphol (Tha) 71 67, I Steel (Mal) 68 70, K Ichihara (Jpn) 65 73, M Brier (Aut) 70 68, J Donaldson 69 69, P Martin (Spa) 69 69.
