Sport

Woods continues the slog to find some sort of form

GOLF AUSTRALIAN MASTERS: ADAM BLAND defied difficult conditions to establish a two-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Australian…

Sat Nov 13 2010 - 00:00

GOLF AUSTRALIAN MASTERS:ADAM BLAND defied difficult conditions to establish a two-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Australian Masters, while world number two Tiger Woods endured a torrid afternoon to sit nine shots off the pace at Victoria Golf Club.

The heat, humidity and brutal north wind took their toll on some of the tournament’s biggest reputations. But Bland, who had shared the overnight lead, mixed consistency with the spectacular with a round of 67 which leaves him at 10-under, two clear of Andre Stolz, who also held his nerve in the tough afternoon conditions to shoot a 67.

Starting at the 10th, Bland looked in trouble when he slipped up on the 11th and the 14th, but back-to-back birdies to end his front nine got things back on track. The highlight of his round came when he chipped in at the sixth and another birdie at the seventh put him three shots clear.

He credited his strong short game for his position on top of the leaderboard. “It’s been good the past couple of days, it’s been good to play some good golf finally,” Bland said.

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His fortunes were in stark contrast to Woods, who began his day with a birdie but then dropped shots at the fifth, seventh, 12th and 13th before picking up one on the 17th. He is nine shots off the pace.

“It was a good test out there today. I struggled on the greens again. The greens were a little bit slower today than yesterday and I kept missing every putt on the high side. I thought the ball would swing a bit more but they just never did,” he said.

“If I would have putted just a bit better today, I would have been right there. I just didn’t do that, I felt I hit the ball good enough to shoot two, three, four-under par today, but I made nothing.”

He is confident that with a positive start and a bit more confidence with the flat stick, he can make significant inroads up the leaderboard.

“I think it just a process. I need to get off to a good start, make a few birdies and let the momentum of the round build and I haven’t done that this week,” he said.

The major threat is likely to come from world number 70 Sergio Garcia, who surged into contention on the back of a sublime 65, the best round of the day, to sit at four-under.