AFP, SHANGHAI
Spanish sensation Sergio Garcia fired a four-under 68 to catch Sweden’s Henrik Stenson at the top of the HSBC Champions leaderboard after a rain-delayed second round yesterday.
World No. 3 Garcia and Stenson, who carded a 69, ended the second round on 10-under, one stroke ahead of Australian Geoff Ogilvy and young Englishman Oliver Wilson.
PHOTO: AFP
World No. 2 Phil Mickelson of the US was at eight-under after shooting a two-under 70 in the cold and damp conditions, alongside Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell.
The second round was played a day late after the whole of Friday was washed out by heavy rain and the players will now have to cram about 27 holes into today and then stay an extra night in Shanghai to complete the tournament tomorrow.
After an uneventful even-par front nine yesterday, Garcia exploded back up the leaderboard on the way home with an eagle on the par-five 14th, followed by birdies on the 16th and 18th in fading light.
PHOTO: AP
“That eagle really got myself going a little bit and it was a really nice finish on the 16th and 18th,” said Garcia, who is aiming to take Mickelson’s world No. 2 ranking with victory in Shanghai.
Nevertheless, as with his first round when he missed a host of birdie putts, Garcia felt he could have done better.
“It was a good solid round, but it could have been different if I had made a couple of birdies earlier on. But at the end of the day, it was still a nice, solid round,” the 28-year-old said.
Stenson, the world No. 12, played with Garcia yesterday and ensured he would retain at least a share of the lead with a 20-foot putt for a birdie on the 18th.
“I was pleased with my scoring this afternoon. I was still putting pretty good and played mainly three woods today to keep the ball in play and hit some good approaches,” said Stenson, who carded four birdies and a bogey.
The HSBC Champions has attracted one of the best fields ever to have played in Asia and the leaderboard reflected the enormous quality on display.
Among the other big names still in contention, Australian Adam Scott was in a group of four players at seven-under after shooting a 71.
Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, winner of the British Open and PGA Championship this year, was at five-under after shooting a two-under 70.
Rising American star Anthony Kim was sitting alongside Harrington at five-under, although he would have been disappointed with his one-over 73.
Ogilvy, the 2006 US PGA Championship winner, and McDowell shot up into contention shooting seven-under 65, the equal best rounds of the day at the Sheshan International Golf Club.
The Asian and European tours co-sanction the HSBC Champions and Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng maintained his position as the best from Asia with a 70 that placed him tied for 11th at six-under.
Chinese No. 1 Liang Wenchong and Taiwan’s Lin Wen-tang were the Asian Tour’s next best at four-under.
The Asian Tour’s current Order of Merit leader, Mark Brown from New Zealand, was well back on one-over after shooting a 74 yesterday.
Organizers couched the decision to continue the tournament into tomorrow and not shorten it to three rounds as proof the event was of significant importance on the global golfing calendar.
Mickelson endorsed the organizers’ decision.
“The event is world class. The field is world class. The course is world class. The HSBC Champions is a 72-hole tournament. So you do the math,” he said.
■SINGAPORE MASTERS
AFP, SINGAPORE
Thailand’s Pariya Junhasavasdikul toppled local hero Lam Chih Bing to win the Mercedes-Benz Masters Singapore yesterday.
Pariya, who started the final round four shots behind Lam in second place, fired a three-under 69 for a two-shot victory over his Singaporean opponent.
Lam carded a disappointing 75 on the Masters Course at Laguna National Golf and Country Club, while Nakul Vichitryuthasastr from Thailand and Filipino Juvic Pagunsan were a shot further back in joint third place.
“I really didn’t think I had much chance of winning at the start of the day. Even after nine holes I was a couple shots back but then things came together,” Pariya said.
“It’s a special feeling to win my first professional title especially as my parents are here this week,” the Thai said, who ended with a four-round aggregate of 11-under 277.
The 24-year-old from Bangkok, who only turned professional in March, made birdies on 13, 14 and 16 to claim a cheque for US$8,126.
“This win gives me a lot of confidence. I will play the final two events on the Mercedes-Benz Tour this year and head to the Asian Tour Qualifying School,” said Pariya, who will also play in the 18-hole qualifier for next week’s Barclays Singapore Open.
Lam, who won the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Masters Indonesia in May, was not too disappointed with the result.
“I had a couple of bad breaks and made a couple of bad decisions. I came into the week with no expectations and wanted to warm up for the Barclays Singapore Open,” he said.
Pagunsan was in the joint lead on 11 under for the tournament playing the 180-yard par-three 17th. He was four under for his round, but hit his tee shot into the water and walked away with a triple-bogey six.
Singapore’s top golfer Mardan Mamat finished in joint 11th place after his third 72 on the trot to close the tournament on three-under.
■MIZUNO CLASSIC
AP, SHIMA, JAPAN
Shin Ji-yai of South Korea shot a bogey-free six-under 66 yesterday to take a two-stroke lead after the second round of the LPGA’s Mizuno Classic.
Shin, the this year’s Women’s British Open champion, carded six birdies at the Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club course for a 36-hole total of 10-under 134.
Overnight co-leader Mayu Hattori of Japan, coming off a victory last week in the JLPGA’s IDC Otsuka Ladies, was two strokes back at eight-under 136 after a 69.
Shin was making her fifth start of the year in Japan. She birdied two of the first seven holes to reach six-under, then birdied holes 10, 11, 15 and 16 to reach 10-under in the event sanctioned by the LPGA Tour and Japan LPGA.
“I felt very comfortable today,” Shin said. “My iron shots were good. After the back nine I was able to play with a lot of confidence.”
Shin finished in a tie for 17th at the LPGA Kolon Championship in Incheon last week, but said she feels more comfortable in Japan than in her native South Korea.
“I don’t know why but I always feel more comfortable in Japan,” she said. “Last week everyone focused on me and that made me nervous. I like it here.”
Hattori had two birdies and a pair of bogeys on the front nine before sinking three birdies after the turn.
“I guess I felt some pressure after being in the lead,” Hattori said. “I settled down and played a lot better after the front nine.”
South Korea’s Lee Young-jee and Japan’s Shiho Oyama shot 68s and were tied for third, a further stroke behind Hattori.
Defending champion Momoko Ueda, the first Japanese player to win the event in nine years, was even-par after a 74. Japanese star Ai Miyazato also was even-par after a 73.
Morgan Pressel of the US followed an opening 75 with a 70 to get to one-over and 2006 winner Karrie Webb was three-over after a 75
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