2006 UBS Hong Kong Open - Round 2: Lara leads as Zhang fires 63 for third

With five birdies against a lone bogey, Lara was ahead of France’s Gregory Bourdy who carded a similar score at the Hong Kong Golf Club. Filipino rookie Juvic Pagunsan and Australian young gun Andrew Buckle fired matching five-under-par 65s as they achieved a two-day total of eight-under-par 132 two strokes off the pace. The biggest mover in third place was Chinese ace Zhang Lian-wei who blasted a 63.

Overnight leader from India Jyoti Randhawa battled the winds for a 69 in joint sixth alongside compatriot Jeev Milkha Singh while Thailand’s Thammanoon Srirot and countryman Thongchai Jaidee carded matching 66s as both players were tied in eighth position. Scottish Ryder Cup player and defending champion Colin Montgomerie improved with a 66 in joint 14th spot together with Philippines Angelo Que who shot six birdies against two bogeys.

Lara, who has been in the leading fray in recent outings, birdied the par five third hole but dropped a shot at the ninth hole. He crept up the leaderboard after a strong back nine with birdies on the 10th, 13th, 15th and 17th holes.

“I have been playing well the last two months. I was leading the Mallorca Classic after two rounds and the Volvo Masters after the first round. I have been hitting the ball so well and I have just had a short break from those two tournaments, so I am still confident,” said Lara.

Bourdy broke through with a bogey free round after birdies on the third, seventh, 11th and 16th holes.

“I will try to keep playing like this, shot by shot. My driving and my putting was steady which is important for this course so I think tomorrow will be different and will be very good,” said Bourdy.

Zhang, who found the right stroke to his putting game, fired a stunning nine birdies against two bogeys.

“I’ve been struggling with my putting the past two years. I’ve tried 70-80 different putters. Finally I realised that it was not the putter but the stroke. So I changed the stroke and now I’m happy with it,” said Zhang.

Pagunsan, who has chalked up three top-10 finishes on the Asian Tour, was also steady as he bounced back after a dropped shot on the 11th hole. He birdied the 12th and holed a 15 foot birdie putt at the 15th hole. He conquered the front nine with four birdies on the first, third, sixth and ninth holes. He finished third at the Brunei Open in August and is currently ranked 52nd on the Asian Tour’s UBS Order of Merit.

“It’s been a good season and I target to finish in the top-60. I think about my goal and that’s why I am focused on a good result here,” he added.

Fresh from his Nationwide Tour campaign, Buckle delivered another steady round with birdies on the 13th and 14th holes. Buckle, who was runner-up in Indonesia in March, closed in with three more birdies on the first, third and seventh holes.

“The first couple of holes I did not play great but I birdied the par five 13th after I had two putted which got my round going. I just had five birdies and managed to stay bogey free, so that was nice,” said Buckle, who is in his first ever visit to Hong Kong.

“It (Nationwide Tour) was a good experience. I played a lot of golf and you have to out there because they don’t play for too much money. I’ve learnt a lot and I’ve become more patient. You’ve got to keep grinding away and not give up. You need to stay pretty focused out there too,” he added.

Randhawa, the Hero Honda Indian Open winner, shot two birdies against a lone bogey as he slipped to sixth spot.

“I struggled today. I wasn’t too focused and it had gotten windier and got tougher. So I’m quite happy with one under. It was tough to judge shots especially on the greens,” said Randhawa.

Singh, who leads the Asian Tour’s UBS Order of Merit race, kept his title hopes alive after six birdies against two bogeys.

“The bogey at the last hole (18th hole) leaves a bad taste in the mouth but I’m still in there so we shall see what happens in the third round,” said Singh.

South African Retief Goosen missed the cut after a 71 in joint 69th place.

Leading round two scores

130 - Jose Manuel Lara (ESP) 64-66

131 - Gregory Bourdy (FRA) 65-66

132 - Juvic Pagunsan (PHI) 67-65, Andrew Buckle (AUS) 67-65, Zhang Lian-wei (CHN) 69-63

133 - Jyoti Randhawa (IND) 64-69, Jeev Milkha Singh (IND) 66-67

134 - Damien Mcgrane (IRL) 68-66, Thammanoon Srirot (THA) 68-66, Simon Khan (ENG) 66-68

Adam Blyth (AUS) 66-68, Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 68-66, Anton Haig (RSA) 69-65

135 - Colin Montgomerie (SCO) 69-66, Angelo Que (PHI) 69-66, Jean Van De Velde (FRA) 68-67, Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP) 68-67, Peter Lawrie (IRL) 71-64

136 - Robert-Jan Derksen (NLD) 68-68

November 17, 2006