2006 Philippine Open - Round 2: Yeh and Strange one clear at halfway

Chinese Taipei's Yeh Chang-ting enjoyed a sense of déjà vu when he grabbed a share of the halfway lead with Australian Scott Strange at the Philippine Open on Friday.

Yeh, who won the title here in 1993, safely negotiated a three-under-par 69 in the second round at the treacherous Wack Wack Golf and Country Club's East course and leads with Strange, the overnight leader, on six-under-par 138.

Strange battled to a 70 in what is the 90th edition of the Philippine Open, Asia's oldest national Championship.

England's Chris Rodgers, who won the Asian Tour Qualifying School and Pakistan Open back-to-back in January, carded a 69 to lie a stroke back in third but he was amongst those stung by the East course, dropping two bogeys over his last five holes.

Filipino rising star Juvic Pagunsan, who finished runner-up at the Philippine Open as an amateur in 2004, raised his title hopes with a 70 for tied fourth place on 142, four off the lead, with Myanmar's Soe Kyaw Naing (70) and 2002 champion Rick Gibson of Canada (72).

After winning twice on the Asian Tour in the mid-1990s, Yeh, 39, ventured to Japan but lost his card in 2003. With this week's solid form, he is looking to end a nine-year title drought.

"I didn't drive the ball well but my putting really saved me," said Yeh, who scrambled for six up-and-down par saves and needed only 24 putts. "I won this tournament a very long time ago but I'm not going to think about winning yet. You've got to take it one hole at a time as it's a tough course.

"You always have to think hard with your shots. The tree-lined fairways make it difficult and the greens are small. I holed a lot of good putts for birdies which really helped. My feeling is good as I've won in this country before."

Yeh three-putted the fifth hole for bogey before rattling home putts from inside 15 feet for birdies on the sixth, ninth, 10th, 13th and 16th holes. He signed off with another bogey on 18 after finding trouble in the greenside trap.

Like Yeh, Strange, currently 16th on the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit, also bogeyed the 18th after stringing together four earlier birdies and a bogey. With the temperature soaring close to 40 degrees Celsius, Strange missed the final green after his club slipped in his hands.

"It's nice to finish on top again. I played okay but over the last three holes, I was a bit tired. I holed the putts I should have holed and made a long one on six from 30 feet for birdie.

"I'm not finding it hot, I'm just finding it sweaty. It's running down into your hands and glove. The shot up the last, I wiped my hands as good as I could but I got a slight slip on the downswing and missed it right. It's part and parcel of playing here," said Strange.

The Perth-based Strange, who won the Myanmar Open last year after beating Thai star Thongchai Jaidee in the final round, is in form following his sixth place finish in Macau last week. But he is not thinking of winning just yet on a course which has yielded only 11 under par total scores after two rounds.

"It's such a tough course that you'll just have to hit it down the fairway and hit it down the green. You'll make bogeys and you'll make birdies, so you must make sure there are more birdies on the card," he said.

Rodgers was delighted to be on the leaderboard again. "This course is very tricky. You need to be patient. When I first played here in 2001, I said it was the hardest-easy course I've ever played on. People laughed at me. You really have to respect the course and I'm trying my hardest to."

Rodgers moved to five-under for the day with six birdies and one bogey before stumbling home. He missed the green on the fifth and seventh to drop shots. "I caught a flier on the fifth hole (his 14th of the day) and jumped over the green by only a foot. If you miss just a bit, you can make bogey."

Former amateur star Pagunsan, playing in his rookie season on the Asian Tour, launched his title charge with a round that included six birdies against four bogeys. "I played well. I'm happy to be near the leaders and have a chance at the weekend," said Pagunsan, who is playing in his first Open as a professional after a stellar amateur career.

The halfway cut was set at 150, with title holder Adam Le Vesconte of Australia scrapping through on the mark after a 76. Amongst those who missed the cut was last week's Macau Open champion Kane Webber of Australia (74).

Leading second round scores

138 - Scott Strange (AUS) 68-70, Yeh Chang-ting (TPE) 69-69

139 - Chris Rodgers (ENG) 70-69

142 - Soe Kyaw Naing (MYN) 72-70, Rick Gibson (CAN) 70-72, Juvic Pagunsan (PHI) 72-70

143 - Airil Rizman Zahari (MAS) 73-70, Unho Park (AUS) 72-71, Marcus Both (AUS) 73-70, Gary Simpson (AUS) 71-72, Lu Wei-lan (TPE) 69-74

144 - Anthony Kang (USA) 72-72, Robert Pactolerin (PHI) 74-70, Cookie Lao (PHI) 70-74, Jason Knutzon (USA) 73-71, Hsieh Chin-sheng (TPE) 71-73

145 - Larry Austin (AUS) 74-71, Brad Iles (NZL) 76-69, Gerald Rosales (PHI) 73-72, Barry Hume (SCO) 69-76, Adam Porker (AUS) 73-72, Digvijay Singh (IND) 75-70, Jason Dawes (AUS) 70-75, Jerome Delariarte (PHI) 76-69

146 - Poh Eng Wah (SIN) 73-73, Bryan Saltus (USA) 74-72, Craig Warren (AUS) 73-73, Simon Griffiths (ENG) 75-71, Corey Harris (USA) 74-72, S.S.P. Chowrasia (IND) 74-72, Angelo Que (PHI) 71-75, Wang Ter-chang (TPE) 74-72, Richard Moir (AUS) 77-69, Simon Nash (AUS) 69-77, Gurbaaz Mann (IND) 73-73

147 - Marciano Pucay (PHI) 72-75, Matt Keegan (AUS) 71-76, Kevin Chun (NZL) 70-77, Chen Tze-chung (TPE) 74-73, Henry Perks (AUS) 73-74, Gary Rusnak (USA) 73-74, Marvin Dumandan [A] (PHI) 73-74

May 26, 2006

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