Retief Goosen was plagued by insects during his second round of four-under 68, but they did not bug him enough to keep the South African from clinging on to a one-shot advantage in the BMW International Open on Friday.
First round front-runner Goosen moved to 12-under-par 132, a stroke ahead of Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen, who produced an eagle and five birdies during his second round 65 to nearly catch up to the two-time US Open champion.
Britons David Drysdale, who matched Goosen’s 64 of the previous day, and Nick Dougherty, who carded a 65, were on 10-under.
PHOTO: EPA
Goosen could not repeat his fast start of the first round and said he had a reason.
“I got a bit carried away by bugs,” he told reporters. “I was wearing a green shirt and that’s not normally their favorite color, but it was this time. It was scary. The way they were swarming I couldn’t see the ball. I put on my rainproof top to keep them off. They don’t seem to like blue so much.”
Goosen’s first round 64 had hinged on taking only 26 putts with a new putter, but he ran up 31 for his 68.
“I hit a lot of good putts that didn’t go in this time,” added the 40-year-old, who is searching for his 15th European Tour title.
While Goosen has been through a quiet spell since his last success, the 2007 Qatar Masters, Kjeldsen won the Andalucian Open three months ago and lies 10th on Europe’s money-list.
Bernhard Langer, trying for the 19th time to claim the only German title he has not won, is in a group four strokes off the lead.
Langer, 51, finished second two years ago and he helped his cause this time by chipping in from a bunker to save par on the penultimate hole.
■TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP
REUTERS, NEW YORK
American Kenny Perry maintained his two-shot lead early in Friday’s second round of the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut, despite struggling with the pace of the greens.
The PGA Tour veteran, two ahead overnight after opening with a sparkling 61, parred his last 10 holes at the TPC River Highlands to card a two-under 68.
That left Perry at 11-under 129, with compatriot Ryan Moore alone in second after a 65.
Americans Colt Knost (66) and PGA Tour rookie Aaron Watkins (67) were a further stroke back at eight under while US Open champion Lucas Glover was at four under after following a first-round 65 with a 71.
Perry, who flirted with a magical 59 before equaling the course record on Thursday, failed to increase his lead despite striking the ball even better on Friday.
“I hit a lot more quality, longer irons today,” the 48-year-old told reporters. “It was fun out there. I had control of the ball and hit it nice but just couldn’t get the speed [on the greens]. I hit 16 greens and didn’t miss a fairway but I had 32 putts. I had 25 yesterday so that’s seven strokes. I’m in good shape though and happy with the round.”
Perry, beaten in a three-way playoff at this year’s US Masters, started at the 10th hole and mixed three birdies with his first bogey of the week, at the par-four 14th, to reach the turn in two-under 33 before parring the last nine.
“I kept hitting it in there 15 feet from the hole,” said Perry, who won his 13th PGA Tour title at the Phoenix Open in February. “It’s a putt you think you should make but you probably don’t make many of them. I just kept hitting that range all day. I had a couple of close ones and I think I made one putt over six feet today. It was just a frustrating day on the greens.”
Zach Johnson, the 2007 Masters champion, carded a 68 to lie six strokes off the pace with fellow Americans Boo Weekley (71) and Scott Verplank (68).
Spanish world No. 4 Sergio Garcia, the highest-ranked player in the field, was among the late starters after opening with a 67.
The cut was projected to fall at three-under 137 with Britain’s Justin Rose and Swede Daniel Chopra among those in danger of making early exits.
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