Ernie Els followed up Thursday's 5-under par, 67 with a 10-under par 62 on Friday to take a four stroke lead in the BMW Asian Open. The World Number 3 had eight birdies and an eagle to shoot the lowest round ever at Shanghai's Tomson Pudong Golf Club in Shanghai, China. However, since the players were allowed preferred lies, his round will not be counted as a course record.
Ernie's nearest competition lies four shots back and is a virtually unknown Kiwi, Eddie Lee. Lee fired a second round 66 to get to 11-under. Raphael Jacquelin of France shot consecutive 67s to sit at 10-under and all alone in third. Thomas Bjorn, Simon Wakefield and Jean Van De Velde (yes, that's the guy who so infamously choked at the British Open) sit tied for fourth at 8-under par.
The European Tour heads to Shanghai this week for the BMW Asian Open at the Tomson Pudong Golf Club. Last year, Miguel Angel Jimenez claimed his third victory of the year at this event. Jimenez is joined by World Number Three Ernie Els and other members of last year's victorious European Ryder cup squad.
Adam Scott fended off a late charge by Retief Goosen to claim a wire-to-wire victory at the Johnnie Walker Classic. Scott fired an even par 72 to finish at 18-under par for his first victory at the Classic. Scott defeated Goosen by three strokes for his ninth career title.
Adam Scott fired an opening round 63 on Thursday to take the lead of the Johnnie Walker Classic in Beijing, China. Retief Goosen, Michael Campbell and Peter Hanson also share the lead with Scott; however, their nine-under par total is after two rounds, while Scott has only completed one round due to a weather delay. He is scheduled to compete his second round on Saturday morning.
The Johnnie Walker Classic will visit mainland China for the first time this week, as Ernie Els and Retief Goosen lead an impressive field.
It seems the European Tour has the same problems that the PGA Tour has: rain delays. Three groups of players were forced to finish their third rounds Sunday morning at the Estoril Open. Paul Lawrie held the third-round lead, but England's Paul Broadhurst went on to win the Portuguese Open after fellow countryman Barry Lane gift-wrapped the victory for Broadhurst.
At the half-way point of the Estoril Open, England's Paul Broadhurst and Portugal's own Jose-Filipe Lima share the lead. Both players are at -8 and one shot ahead of Barry Lane and Simon Dyson, both of England. Dyson set a new course record shooting a second round 64.
After recent trips to Asia, Africa, and Australia, the European Tour returns to its home turf for the Estoril Open de Portugal Caixa Geral de Depositos (aka "Estoril Open"). The Estoril Open is first event of the 2005 International schedule and is one of the Tour's longest running National Opens, dating back to 1953.
Colin Montgomerie has failed to make this year's Masters; however, he didn't go down without a fight. Monty shot a final-round 60, including nine straight birdies to finish in a tie for fourth. Montgomerie could have shot a 59, but instead left a 10-foot birdie putt short on his final hole. 
