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.
Chris DiMarco and Arjun Atwal share the lead at seven-under after the first-round at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Defending champion Vijay Singh, coming off of a win at last week’s Shell Houston Open, is two-strokes back.
“Mom-on-Tour” and leader Kris Tschetter is sitting pretty in the clubhouse tonight after firing a 3-under 69 battling wind and rain. When asked if she considers herself a good player in tough conditions, Kris stated, “I don’t really mind playing in bad weather. I figure it’s the same for everyone, so you just have to stay patient. But for the last few years with my back, it was hard because my back gets so stiff, it’s hard to keep swinging. I just try not to let it bother me. I think a lot of players show up, ‘Oh, this is going to be a long day,’ and their attitude gets bad right away.”
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.
The ladies of the LPGA will return to the Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin Tennessee for a charitable tournament to benefit the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. The Ironhorse, a par-72, 6,450 yard challenge, is one of two courses located at the club and the choice for this year’s event. Lorena Ochoa is once again attempting to conquer a field of the best LPGA players in the world, including Wendy Ward, who lost by one stroke to Ochoa at last year’s championship.
Firing a 1-under 71, Carin Koch proclaimed victory at the second tournament held in Mexico this year. This is the second LPGA Tour win for Carin Koch, the 34-year-old “Mom from Sweden”, with her first victory coming at the 2001 Corning Classic. Although the day started with a showdown between Koch and veteran Wendy Ward, it was first and second round leader Koch who took the lead from Ward on the par-3 third hole dropping a birdie from 10 feet. Although Koch bogeyed the fourth, she regained her composure and birdied six and seven to grab the lead, charge forward and not look back.
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.
Carin Koch started the second round just two strokes off the lead from Natalie Gulbis. By the end of the first hole, they were tied for the lead. Koch executed a perfect sand wedge from 97 yards for an eagle on the par-4, 376-yard hole. “It was going straight in the hole and it just bounced once and went in” said the 34-year-old Swede. Although Carin birdied the 5th, she missed a short par putt on the following hole. On number 8, Koch used her sand wedge once again to place a birdie putt within 3 feet of the hole. Even though she birdied again on 16, Koch gave it back on the 18th, missing a 4-four foot par putt.