2006 China Tour Omega Championship - Round 2: Liang leads by six despite 'stupidity'

Liang Wenchong extended his lead after the second round of the Omega Championship to six shots by shooting the best round of the day at Beijing's Tianan Golf Club. His four-under par 68 moved him to six under for the tournament, ahead of Li Chao who fired a second even-par round. Two shots further back are Liao Guiming and Deng Yonghong.

Liang had five birdies and only one bogey during another masterful round that showcased to the home crowd the form he's been showing during his best season on the Japanese circuit, but still walked off the 18 th green shaking his head and laughing at himself.

"Sooooo stupid," he said in English, thinking back to the 17th hole where he was 18 inches away from an ace and a brand-new Mercedes-Benz and yet only made par.

His response was typical of the inner calm he's found during the best year of his career.

"My experience has taught me not to push myself, or twist myself," he explained.

"The key to playing well is to keep calm and be cool. This is what learned from all the tournaments I've played. I've learned to forget all the bad shots and the bad moods. It's not easy to forget all the mistakes. I am very stupid and always make the same mistakes again, again and again, but I think in golf tournaments there are certain problems which you will meet very often, so you can only learn to live with them."

Li Chao, who is still hoping that the last event of the 2006 season can allow him to sneak the Omega Order of Merit title from Zhang Lianwei's grasp, was also marveling at his own stupidity as he slipped to four over par at the turn.

"I don't know what was happening. Crazy golf!" he said. Fortunately an eagle at the par-five 13th hole helped him to redress the balance on the inward nine.

"On the front nine I was being over-aggressive, but I calmed down on the back nine. I'm six shots behind Liang Wenchong. If the leader was any other player maybe I'd still have a chance, but if it's Liang or Zhang Lianwei leading it's difficult. I'll try my best to have fewer bogeys and when there's a chance I will attack. The main pressure is the Order of Merit title. Both Liang and Zhang are here and I think the field is very strong, but I will still try my best. I think the third round will be very important. If I can get some shots back I will have a chance, but if not then the chances will be very slim."

Li's advantage over Zhang was cut from six-shots to four, when the 41-year-old legend shot one of the day's better rounds: a two-under par 70. From that position, if Li can't win, Zhang can put the cruise control on to top the money list.

Two shots closer to Li in the tournament and tied for third place are Liao Guiming and the colourful 26-year-old Deng Yonghong.

Liao, who started the day level with Li Chao, did well to recover from a six at the par three seventh, stabilising his round with only one bogey and one birdie the rest of the way.

"The only time I attacked I got a triple bogey. This taught me not to be too aggressive on this course," he declared.

Deng, who typically displays all the enthusiasm of puppy dog, was just delighted to see his name in lights in a year where he hasn't once finished inside the top 20.

"I am the lower end of the tournament and this is my first time to see my name on the leader board. You have no idea how happy I am! The last time I was on a leader board was for the CGA's Q School back in March, but this is different," said Deng, a coach at the Palm Island club in Guangdong.

2006 Omega China Tour - Omega Championship

Leading Second Round scores

(Par 72)

138 – Liang Wenchong 70-68

144 – Li Chao 72-72

146 – Deng Yonghong 74-72, Liao Guiming 72 - 74

147 – Liu Anda 75-72, Jimmy Qi Zengfa 75-72, Shi Ningjie 74-73

148 – Wu Xujun 76-72, Zhang Lianwei 78-70

149 – Huang Mingjie 79-70, Shang Lei 76-73, Tony Tan Yongzong 73-76

150 – Richard Qiu Zhifeng 73-77, Zheng Wengen 81-69, Andy Zhou Xunshu 74-76

151 – Xiao Zhijin 77-74, Yuan Hao 78-73, Zhang Wei 74-77, James Su Dong (A) 75-76, Wu Hongfu 80-71

October 27, 2006