Strong, swirling winds blew familiar names to the top of the leaderboard after the second round of the US$1.5 million BMW Asian Open at the Westin Resort Ta Shee yesterday.
Jarmo Sandelin of Sweden carded a six-under-par 66 yesterday to put him at six under overall with Ryder Cup teammate Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain a shot off the pace.
PHOTO: AP
Fiji's Vijay Singh, Spain's Jose Maria Olazabel and Carl Pettersson of Sweden share third place another stroke back at four-under.
PHOTO: AFP
Sandelin is looking to put his disappointing last season behind him in Taiwan at the opening event of the 2002 European PGA Tour.
"It hasn't been a very good year," said Sandelin, who finished 100th on the 2001 European Tour Order of Merit. "I have always been very confident, even when I'm playing badly, because I know that when I play well I can beat anyone and that's driving me on."
After an even par round of 72 on Thursday, Sandelin started well yesterday.
"The key for me was a really good tee shot off the first. I hit a seven iron very close and made the putt," said Sandelin, who had six more birdies and a eagle on the par 5-sixth hole to go with three bogeys.
With tee times in the morning, both Sandelin and Jimenez took advantage of relatively calm conditions before the strong winds kicked up.
Jimenez carded a three-under 69 yesterday, one stroke better than his opening round.
"I'm continuing to go lower and lower. I hit the ball very well," said Jimenez, who started on the tenth hole. "I made birdie at the par 5 number 14 and the rest was very consistent with birdies at 1 and 2."
Among the players battling winds in the afternoon were Olazabel and Singh.
Olazabel recorded his second consecutive round of two-under 70, playing a steady round of two birdies and two bogeys yesterday as he focused on his play from the tee box.
"I'm hitting the driver much better this last couple of days," said the two-time US Masters champion. "I've been working on widening my back swing and trying not to shut the clubface on the way back."
Singh, meanwhile, was pleased by yesterday's two-shot improvement to a three-under 69.
"It was quite windy so I was comfortable with the way I played. A few more putts could have gone in, but that's the way it goes," he said.
Overnight leader Sebastien Delagrange of France fell back to one-over with a second round 77. New Zealand's Michael Campbell, the last big winner on the Ta Shee layout at the 1999 Johnnie Walker Classic, double-bogeyed the final hole to also sit at one-over.
The cut for the top 66 and ties fell at five-over par. Nine of the 12 Taiwanese players made it into the weekend, led by Chung Chun-hsing (
EVERY DAY A VICTORY: Players on the women’s team faced pressure from society just getting out onto the field as they prepare for their first Women’s Asian Cup game today Bangladesh’s national soccer team face daunting odds at their first-ever Women’s Asian Cup, but have already scored a major victory by qualifying. In the South Asian nation of 170 million, social stigma, family expectations, poverty and religious hardliners have long relegated women and girls to sports sidelines. The first women’s soccer league matches took place in 2011 and the squad, known to fans as the Red and Green, have kept pressing forward despite deeply embedded prejudices. “Many more girls would have joined us if the community had been even slightly supportive,” captain Afeida Khandaker told AFP ahead of her side’s March 3
Soccer officials yesterday offered “full support and assistance” to the Iranian team in Australia for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup after the US and Israel launched massive attacks on their homeland. Iran’s 26-strong squad arrived on the Gold Coast days before the strikes on Saturday killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as Washington and Tel Aviv seek to topple the Islamic republic. They are due to open their tournament today against South Korea. The AFC in a statement said it “continues to closely monitor the recent developments in the Middle East during this challenging period.” “The AFC’s foremost priority remains the welfare, safety and
ROAD RASH: Marc Marquez retired after a crash, marking the first time after 88 consecutive races stretching back to 2021 that a Ducati bike failed to make the podium Marco Bezzecchi yesterday won the MotoGP season-opening grand prix in Thailand from pole position as defending world champion Marc Marquez retired late with a buckled wheel. Aprilia’s Bezzecchi led from start to finish to top the podium in Buriram, with KTM’s Pedro Acosta second and Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez third. Ducati’s Marquez is chasing a record-equaling eighth world title this season, but he exited the race in dramatic fashion while in fourth place with five laps to go. The Spaniard, who started from second on the grid, took a corner wide, with the jolt to his bike dislodging the rear tire, badly damaging his
Liverpool on Tuesday suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers as Andre’s stoppage-time strike sealed a dramatic victory for the English Premier League’s bottom club. Arne Slot’s side fell behind to Rodrigo Gomes’ strike in the closing stages at Molineux. Mohamed Salah hauled Liverpool level with his first goal in 11 top-flight games dating back to November last year. However, Andre’s first goal for Wolves inflicted the latest humbling loss in a chastening season for Liverpool. It was the first time the Premier League’s bottom club had beaten the reigning champions since Crystal Palace defeated Chelsea in 2017. Liverpool
RSS