2005 BMW Asian Open - Round 2: Ernie Els vaults clear with round of 62

A red-hot Ernie Els has stamped his authority on the BMW Asian Open in Shanghai, building a four-shot lead over Eddie Lee after a superb 10-under-par 62 at the Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club.

The South African sounded an ominous warning to the rest of the field, blistering his way to one of the best 18-hole rounds in Asian Tour history. In appropriate style, his day was capped with a spectacular eagle at his last hole after rifling a four-iron from the right-hand trees to within inches of the flagstick. Along with eight birdies, that allowed him to finish at 15-under 129 after the first two days of play.

Continuing his splendid return to form in China , Eddie Lee stood out from the crowd – and in outright second place – as he maintained the pressure on Els. Playing in the first group of the day at 6.30 am, he reeled off six birdies in his bogey-free 66 to post a halfway aggregate of 11-under-par 133.

One of yesterday's pace-setters, Raphael Jacquelin, is in outright third one shot behind Lee, while Thomas Bjorn, after a seven-under 65, Jean-Francois Lucquin and another two of the overnight leaders, Simon Wakefield and Jean Van de Velde, share fourth at eight-under 136.

Local favourites Zhang Lian-wei and Liang Wen-chong are the leading mainland Chinese players at three-under 141, while defending BMW Asian Open champion Miguel Angel Jimenez recorded a second-day 73 for an aggregate of one-under 143.

The US$1.5 million BMW Asian Open is being joint-sanctioned by the Asian and European Tours for the fourth time, with 2005 the second year in a row that it has been played at the Tomson course.

Lee, who made his first cut in eight attempts on the Asian Tour this year here, continued his sparkling form reversal in adding a 66 in ‘ideal conditions' to yesterday's 67. Having first hit the limelight when he won the Asian Tour's Maekyung LG Fashion Open as an amateur in 2002, he is revelling in his sudden change of fortune.

“I am hitting the ball really nicely. Today I putted a little bit better than yesterday, although I did not hit the ball quite as well. However, at 4.30 am (when he had to wake up for his tee time) I was not that happy, so I am pleased with my score,” he said.

“It (playing better) was always going to come. I was hitting the ball well from the Hainan event onwards, so it was only a matter of time. You just keep patient and in golf you never know when your game is going to turn around. You just believe in what you are doing and trust your swing,” added Lee.

Although he has just one top-10 finish on Tour since his stunning breakthrough win, being paired with the imposing Els provides no fear. “Ernie is a guy I look up to and he is one of my favourite players. It would be great to play beside him.”

Although the lowest score recorded on the Shunski Kato-designed Tomson layout, Els' round of 62 will not be acknowledged as a course record as preferred lies were in effect. That, of course, did not dampen his enthusiasm for the weekend.

Said Els: “I have been in this position many times. Through experience, you know you can't think about standing on the podium yet. You do expect to win, but you still have a lot of work to do.”

The three-time Major winner was typically humble about his score. “Overall, I felt like I kept it in play and made more putts than yesterday. Obviously, whenever you shoot 62 you make a lot of putts. I felt comfortable and it was just one of those days when you want to keep going.”

Even Els was impressed, though, with his play at the last. “It just came up perfectly. It bounced over the bunker and ran up there and left me one of the nicest things in golf – a tap-in for eagle. The putt was about eight inches long. Even I can make those!”

India 's Jeev Milkha Singh remained on course for a finish amongst the leaders after following yesterday's three-under 69 with a round of 68. His day included five birdies, plus a sensational eagle-two when he holed out from the fairway at the 17th hole. Combined with a birdie at 18, that was good for a tie for eighth heading into Saturday.

The cut came at even-par 144, with 75 players qualifying for weekend play. Among the high-profile casualties were Choi Kyung-ju and Asian number one Thongchai Jaidee.

Having a better time of it was Constantino Rocca, the Italian having a hole-in-one at the 235-yard, par-three eighth with a three-wood. Unfortunately, as with Peter O'Malley's ace yesterday, Rocca missed out on the BMW X3 3.0i on offer at the 17th.

This year sees the fourth edition of the joint-sanctioned BMW Asian Open, which was won by Jimenez last year. Previous winners also include Jarmo Sandelin (2001) and Padraig Harrington (2002), both triumphant at Ta Shee Golf & Country Club in Taipei .

April 29, 2005

Bookmark page with:

Return to Top of Page