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Taiwan's Kao takes lead in Acer Open

American Andrew Pitts tees off at the tenth hole during the 2002 Acer Taiwan Open on Thursday, at the Sunrise Golf and Country Club in Yangmei, Taipei PHOTO: AP

Dark horse Kao Bo-song of Taiwan topped the leaderboard yesterday after the second round of the US$300,000 Acer Taiwan Open at the Sunrise Golf and Country Club in suburban Taipei.

The 31-year-old amateur bettered his round of 73 the previous day by three shots for a total of 143 and was the only player to break par on the 72-par, 18-hole course.

He led Edward Loar by two shots after the American stormed to a 5-under par 67 on the day, for a total of 145.

Taiwan's Lin Wen-tang and Danny Chia of Malaysia followed close behind with rounds of 71 and 70, respectively, to share third place with 146.

Last year's winner, Andrew Pitts of the US, was still in contention after carding a hard-fought 72. His total of 147 put him in joint fifth place, along with five other players.

Kao, who will represent Taiwan at the upcoming Asian Games in Busan, South Korea, said he had focused on making par, especially on the holes he had bogeyed the previous day. "I played pretty well by just concentrating on hitting the fairway and making the greens with my iron shots," he said.

"The greens were relatively slow and it wasn't that windy, so it was better than yesterday."

Kao said his outstanding performance owed a debt of thanks to a book called Hole in One. He said the book had taught him to be more positive on the links. Previously, he said, his mindset was often negative and he would blame the course for the mistakes he made.

Andrew Pitts told reporters after his round that he was relieved to have done so well, though he hoped to improve his performance today by landing his iron shots closer to the pin and making an eagle or two instead of par.

Edward Loar, who recently qualified for the Asian PGA and was narrowly beaten at the London Myanmar Open in a sudden-death playoff with Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee earlier this year, said he was pleased to make an impression in his first Taiwan Open.

The former Walker Cup player said the calmer conditions had helped his driving and he "hit a lot of fairways."

After two days the field of over 140 players was cut down at the end of play to just 72 players.

Sixty-seven-year-old Gary Player did enough in the morning to make the cut, scoring a workmanlike 76, for a total of 155.

The South African said he was pleased with his round but would have been happier if he had not bogeyed his final hole, the 10th.

"It's such a tough hole," he told the Taipei Times. "It's so high [to drive from] and the wind's whipping in your face and then there's the water."

Finishing his round just after 12pm, the winner of nine Major titles said he would be heading to the gym in the afternoon for a heavy-weight training session and up to 1,000 abdominal crunches with mini-weights.

After a shaky start, Australian Peter Senior made up some ground to finish with a 7-over-par 151. "It's still a real open field. There are about 15 guys within five shots of the lead and that's nothing. Anybody within 10 shots of the lead still stands a chance."

Yesterday's leader, Myanmar's Kyi Hla Han started well, with an early eagle and par, but then lost his way. "I missed a few shots and lost my confidence. I had an opportunity to get ahead and I obviously feel disappointed about that."

Even so, Asia's number one player in 1999 held on for a 3-over-par 147 and was in the chasing pack.

The Acer Taiwan Open continues today and tomorrow.
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