2009 King's Cup - Round 2: Shaaban faces anxious wait as he misses cut by one

Malaysia’s Shaaban Hussin crashed out of the King’s Cup with a costly three-putt bogey on his last hole as his hopes of sealing an Asian Tour card dipped dramatically on Friday.

The slender Malaysian, ranked 65th on the Order of Merit, signed for a disappointing second round of six-over-par 78 to miss the halfway cut by one stroke at the Singha Park Khon Kaen Golf Club.

Shaaban, who opened with a 70 on Thursday, needed to make the cut to safeguard his position as the top-65 players will earn full playing status for the 2010 season and conceded his hopes were now dashed.

“I don’t know what happened. Maybe I tried to control my score today. I tried to play it safe but it didn’t work. Six over is not good,” said a despondent Shaaban.

Playing the last hole, he thought that two-over would be the cut mark and after missing a birdie putt from close range, he carelessly missed his return putt to drop a costly bogey.

“I missed my birdie chance and I thought I had missed the cut at two over. I tapped it too firm and lipped out. And then I missed the one coming back as well. Next time, I should just mark the ball,” he said. “I’m sure the others will overtake me in the top-65 race. I’m going to miss out on that. I’ll have to think if I’ll go back to Qualifying School or take up a country exemption.”

Australian Matthew Griffin, who entered the week in 64th place, stormed home in 33 for a 69 to safely make the cut with his two day total of 141, three behind halfway leader Chan Yih-shin of Chinese Taipei.

With some breathing space afforded to him, the Australian is now planning on a title assault. “Today was fantastic. It was a tough start but it’s great to make the weekend and have a chance to control my own destiny. I’m four shots out so I’m going to try and win the golf tournament,” said Griffin.

“It’s been really hard. It’s been a tense few weeks. I missed the US Tour Q-school. But I’m playing some good golf and hopefully there’ll be a big weekend ahead. I’ll try to win as it’ll be a two-year exemption which is better than one year.”

With so much at stake at the King’s Cup, which is the final event of the season, the pressure has been intense for players lurking around the bubble.

India’s Rahil Gangjee, ranked 63rd, endured a sleepless night after opening with a 74 on Thursday but he charged into contention by tying the course record 64 on Friday, thanks to an eagle and seven birdies.

“In the beginning it was stressful but later in the round, it became fun. After yesterday’s first round, I was outside the cut line and I’m thinking about my card. Yesterday I was so stressed out and played so badly and hit it all over the place. Today was something else, everything clicked,” said Gangjee, who won on the Asian Tour in 2004.

“The last few months have been so stressful. I just worked really hard at it. I kept my head down and didn’t think of anything else. Now, I’m in a different kind of mode. I think I should be safe (in the Merit race). It’s stressed me out enough. Now that I’m in a good position, I’ll try to finish it off.”

He credited a putting routine which Phil Mickelson promotes on his instructional video for his change in golf fortunes.

“You’ve got to putt in 10 straight balls from around the hole from distances of three feet and six feet. If you miss one, you’ve got to start all over again. It’s helped with my putting as I’m converting more chances,” he said.

Compatriot Gaurav Ghei, ranked 67th, shot a 72 to lie three shots behind the leader while Australian Mitchell Brown, ranked 68th, made the halfway cut right on the mark after a 76 to keep his hopes alive. South African Jbe Kruger, who entered the week in 62nd place, missed the cut and will have an anxious wait over the weekend to see if he would retain his position in the top-65 on Sunday evening.

December 4, 2009

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