Title holder Scott Hend of Australia fought his wayĀ into a share of the halfway lead with countryman Adam GroomĀ as he kept up his chase for a second successive victory atĀ the US$900,000 Venetian Macau Open on Friday.
Winner in HongĀ Kong last weekend, the long-hitting Hend survived blusteryĀ conditions at the Macau Golf and Country Club to post aĀ one-under-par 70 and a 10-under-par 132 aggregate which wasĀ matched by Groom, who carded a 67.
SwitzerlandāsĀ Martin Rominger, with wife Simona on the bag, overcameĀ a double bogey to card a 68 and lie one back while Chinese Taipeiās prospect Chan Shih-chang produced theĀ dayās best with a 64 for joint fourth place on 134Ā with overnight leader Anirban Lahiri of India, who struggledĀ to a 73.
After openingĀ with a 70 on Thursday, Ernie Els of South Africa, theĀ tournamentās top draw, could only manage a 72 andĀ will enter the weekend rounds a massive 10 shots behind theĀ leaders. Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez missed the halfwayĀ cut set at 142 by two after adding a second straightĀ 72.
Hend, 41,Ā birdied his last hole, the ninth, from close range to putĀ himself in the hunt for a seventh Asian Tour victory. HeĀ dropped two shots over his first seven holes before clawingĀ his way back with four birdies against anotherĀ bogey.
āToday,Ā weāve seen what can happen out here. If the wind blowsĀ likeĀ this, you just try to hold on to your score. We wereĀ struggling. You have to play conservatively and hopefullyĀ roll in some putts. Everyone will make a bogey,ā saidĀ Hend.
āSometimesĀ itās two and a half club difference. Even on the parĀ fivesĀ on the back nine, with the exception of 18, itās
ridiculously difficult. If I had made 18 pars, I would haveĀ been ecstatic. To come in with one under Iām quite happy.ā
Despite beingĀ in top form, Hend is not thinking too far ahead in hisĀ hope of joining Zhang Lian-wei of China as the only men toĀ win two Venetian Macau Open titles. āItāsĀ Friday, itās 36 holes to go. Iām just ploddingĀ along. Today was just the trotting day. No galloping, justĀ trotting,ā he smiled.
Groom, rookieĀ of the year in 2004 but still seeking a breakthroughĀ victory,Ā ripped a monster drive on his last hole, the ninth, to setĀ up a four-foot birdie to tie Hend. āIāve notĀ been in the final group for a while and Scott is in form.Ā Heās a great player and Iām looking forward toĀ the challenge,ā said the 35-year-old Groom.
āObviouslyĀ itās a goal this year (to win). Iāve finishedĀ second a coupleĀ of times I think and itāll be nice to hold a trophy.Ā I think Iāve got the game, itās just putting itĀ together and managing your emotions. Iāll try to relaxĀ and get stuck to the process and hopefully itās a goodĀ outcome.ā
Lahiri, secondĀ on the Order of Merit, was disappointed to take 12 shotsĀ more than Thursdayās superlative effort of 61 as heĀ posted three birdies against five bogeys. āIt wasĀ windy but still it was not that hard,ā lamented theĀ Indian star.
āTheĀ greens were quicker and I couldnāt get my speed rightĀ with theĀ putts. I couldnāt adjust to them. Iām playingĀ well but I need to tighten up some loose ends. IāmĀ still in with a great chance.ā
Chan, who wasĀ given a Board exemption for the remainder of the yearĀ after winning three Asian Development Tour titles, producedĀ eight birdies, including four in a row, to charge intoĀ contention.
āMy homeĀ course is also very windy, so this is no problem forĀ me,ā saidĀ the 27-year-old. āIāll be happy if the windĀ blows. I like it. I hit it low and Iām not a longĀ hitter. This course is short and you just want to hit itĀ straight, straight, straight.Ā Strong wind, IāmĀ not scared.ā
South AfricanĀ star Ernie Els, who is an honorary member and internationalĀ ambassador of the Asian Tour, hopes to fire on allĀ cylinders over the weekend to close the gap on the leaders.
āI was battling the whole back nine. Hopefully I canĀ play some better golf. Iām not pleased. Last week, IĀ struggled with some putts and hit the ballĀ well but this week, the swing is not quite there. If I canĀ get it on the greens in regulation, I can make someĀ birdies,ā said Els.
Round 3 and 4Ā (Saturday and Sunday) of The Venetian Macau Open willĀ be broadcasted live on TDM at 12-5pm.
The VenetianĀ Macau Open is jointly organised by Macau Sport DevelopmentĀ Board of Macau SAR Government (MSDB) and Golf AssociationĀ of Macau.Ā It is sanctioned by both the Asian Tour andĀ the Golf Association of Macau, and promoted by IMG. Ā The Venetian Macao Ā® is the title sponsor of the eventĀ for a third successive year.
Sponsors joining The Venetian Macao in support of the tournamentĀ includeĀ Rolex, Air Macau, Blue Girl, Lamborghini and Hong KongĀ Descente, which carries both the Le Coq Sportif Golf Collection, Twinwoods Wine and Munsingwear.