Lafeber takes commanding halfway lead

Dutchman Maarten Lafeber surged into a commanding four-stroke lead at the halfway stage of the US$1.5 million BMW Asian Open today.

Lafeber breezed to his second straight six-under-par 66 in blustery conditions at Ta Shee Golf and Country Club, his 12-under 132 aggregate putting him in the driver’s seat in the elite field.

European Ryder Cup star Padraig Harrington stumbled on his back nine to card a 70 while South African Trevor Immelman shot into a tie for second place with the Irishman after a near flawless 67.

American Andrew Pitts and Australian Adrian Percey of Australia are equal fourth on 137 while Asian star Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, joint second in the inaugural BMW Asian Open last year and runner-up to Colin Montgomerie in China last week, finished strongly with four birdies on his back nine for a 67 to move into contention on 138.

The former paratrooper took the shine off his illustrious playing partners Jose Maria Olazabal and John Daly, who vowed to keep playing in the event despite learning of his mother’s death late Thursday. The American safely made the cut with his 144 total after a 74 today.

The BMW Asian Open is the opening leg of the 2002/03 European Tour International Schedule and the third last leg of the Davidoff Tour.

A jet-lagged Lafeber is still searching for his first European Tour title after coming close on several occasions this season. “The key today was that I was patient. I’m still a bit tired because of jet-lag as I slept only three hours in the previous night. This 66 is better than yesterday’s as conditions today were much tougher. The wind wasn’t that strong in the first round,” said Lafeber, who turned 28 on Monday.

Starting from the back nine, Lafeber holed a 12-foot birdie putt at 13 to get into gear and then cracked a “perfect” three wood to 18 feet at the par five 14th to set up an eagle chance which he holed. The Dutchman nailed four more birdies and dropped a shot at the fourth.

“Hopefully I will (win). The last couple of months, I’ve been up there a bit. But what can you do, you can’t force it. Trevor is also keen to get his first win and Padraig has won before and you know he wants to win. It’ll be a tough weekend but I’m looking forward to it,” said Lafeber.

Harrington was disappointed with his finish, where he dropped two bogeys on his inward nine hole by missing four-footers. It spoilt his day especially when he had got off to a flying start when he birdied the 11th from eight feet before dropping monster putts from 35 feet and 25 feet on the 12th and 15th holes.

“I started well but my concentration wasn’t good today. I should have done better as I was swinging the club fine. I just didn’t do the job after that good start. It’s annoying to bogey my last hole. Concentration wise, I wasn’ t sharp today,” said Harrington, the eighth ranked player in the world.

Thongchai put himself in good position for a repeat of last year’s high finish, three consecutive birdies on the back nine helping him to an impressive 67. Although he is six shots off the pace, the Thai was delighted with his game.

“My concentration was good today, it needed to be as the wind was blowing,” said Thongchai. “It is good to be in position and a good outing here will help in my bid to retain the Davidoff Tour Order of Merit title,” added the Thai, who is tied sixth and six off the pace.

Korea’s 19-year-old Kevin Na, who was ranked number one in junior high in the US last year, arrived for the BMW Asian Open late Wednesday night after getting an 11th hour sponsor’s invite.

Like Thongchai, Na, who trains under Tiger Wood’s former coach Butch Harmon, produced a superb 67 that included an eagle three and a chip-in birdie. “I got the invite late and left California on Tuesday afternoon and arrived here midnight on Wednesday.

“But it has gone well. I’ve played nicely these last two days. It came together on my second nine when I had a two-putt birdie on the third hole and then nearly holed out from the fairway for a double eagle (albatross) at the par five third.

“I flushed a great two iron from 270 yards and the ball rolled just by the pin and stopped seven feet away. I finished my round nicely by chipping in for birdie on seven,” said Na, who has posted five top-10s in six appearances in his rookie year on the Davidoff Tour.

India’s Arjun Singh shot a 70 to join Thongchai and Na into joint sixth position alongside South African James Kingston and Scotland’s Simon Yates, both proven winners in Asia, who returned cards of 70 and 71.

Overnight leader Jyoti Randhawa of India was 10 shots higher than his opening 65, a 75 dropping him to equal 13th place after a round that included a triple bogey eight.

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