49th KOLON-Hana Bank Korea Open - Round 2: Kang fire blistering 63 to lead

Korea's Kang Ji-man intends to topple a second US Open champion within the space of a month after a scintillating eight-under-par 63 gave him the halfway lead at the Kolon-Hana Bank Korea Open on Friday.

Kang, 30, was in superb form to shoot an eagle and seven birdies against a lone bogey on his home course at the par-71 Woo Jeong Hills Country Club and heads the US$700,000 Asian Tour event on 12-under-par 130.

His namesake, Kang Kyung-nam also produced a matching 63, courtesy of eight birdies, to lie one back while co-overnight leader Yang Yong-eun carded a 67 for third place on 132.

American left-hander Bubba Watson, the longest hitter on the US PGA Tour, surged up the leaderboard with a bogey free 66, three off the pace in fourth position while last season's Asian Tour number one Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand got into the title mix with a 66 for a two-day total of 135.

Two-time US Open winner Retief Goosen of South Africa failed to build on Thursday's 65 as he slumped to a 72 and will enter the weekend rounds seven shots behind the leader.

Three weeks ago, Ji-man enjoyed a career breakthrough with a one-stroke victory over 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell at a domestic Korean event for his maiden triumph and he is now confident of holding off Goosen, the world's number six.

"It was a perfect round today except for the bogey on the last hole. I'm totally satisfied. I think I made every birdie putt. Woo Jeong Hills is my home course and I feel very comfortable here especially on the greens," said Ji-man.

"I beat Michael Campbell at the Shinhan Donghae Open and this time I will beat Retief Goosen. I think I can do it."

Starting from the 10th tee, Ji-man turned in 32 with birdies on the 14th, 15th and 18th holes before adding to his tally on the first. He eagled the par five fifth hole after converting a 15-foot putt and followed that up with three successive birdies before his lone blemish on nine.

Prior to that breakthrough victory on home soil, Ji-man contemplated quitting touring life but was told by his famous compatriot K.J. Choi, a three-time US PGA Tour winner, that "if you keep knocking on the door, it will open."

“I had a lot of hard times in the past seven years because I was a player who had not won. I didn't receive recognition anywhere, so I’m really happy right now," said Kang, who is an Asian Tour Qualifying School graduate.

The 23-year-old Kyung-nam was equally impressive as he stayed bogey free and sank eight birdies as he eclipsed the big-hitting Watson in the same pairing.

Watson, who has three top-10s in his rookie year on the US PGA Tour, was happy with his error-free round. "I missed some opportunities but five under is pretty good and I'm in the hunt to win."

Playing alongside Kyung-nam, Watson was in awe of the Korean's hot putting streak and predicted that the local stalwart would stay in contention in the weekend. "Kang has putted so well. It was so good that my caddie and I were saying "that's in, that's in" every time he made a putt," said Watson.

Goosen's game failed to click from the onset after he pushed his opening drive on the 10th into trees for bogey. He bogeyed the seventh and birdied the eighth to finish well off the lead.

"I got out of the wrong side of the bed. I made a bad start but hopefully I'm not too far behind at the end of the day. I need to hit a few better shots tomorrow and make some putts. I would need a low round to get myself back in it. Conditions were as good as you could get it. I just struggled with my yardages with some in between clubs. It was just one of those days," said Goosen, who is searching for a first victory in 2006.

Leading second round scores
130 - Kang Ji-man (KOR) 67-63
131 - Kang Kyung-nam (KOR) 68-63
132 - Yang Yong-eun (KOR) 65-67
133 - Bubba Watson (USA) 67-66, Lee Jung-hoon (KOR) 66-67
134 - Chung Joon (KOR) 68-66
135 - Thaworn Wiratchant (THA) 69-66, Shin Yong-jin (KOR) 67-68, Nam Young-woo (KOR) 66-69, Kwon Myung-ho (KOR) 66-69
136 - Kim Dae-hyun (KOR) 69-67, Noh Seung-yul [A] (KOR) 69-67
137 - Retief Goosen (RSA) 65-72, Suk Jong-yul (KOR) 70-67, Prom Meesawat (THA) 68-69, Kim Do-hoon I [A] (KOR) 70-67
138 - Kim Kyung-tae [A] (KOR) 70-68, Kim Do-hoon Ii [A] (KOR) 69-69, Choi Hyun (KOR) 68-70
139 - Lee Jin-won (KOR) 67-72, Edward Loar (USA) 69-70, Kong Young-joon (KOR) 67-72, Cho Hyun-jun (KOR) 68-71, Kim Hyung-sung (KOR) 67-72, Gerald Rosales (PHI) 67-72, Yoo Jong-koo (KOR) 72-67

September 22, 2006

Bookmark page with: