Guam
Open
Leo Palace Resort
Guam
14th - 17th May 1998
Second
Round Report
Second
Round Scores
First Round Report
First
Round Scores
Lin
and Smith share halfway lead
Manenggon
Hills, Guam, 15th May, 1998 - Taiwan's Lin Chien-bing and Jerry Smith
of America fired a pair of five-under-par 67s today and share a two-shot lead
at the halfway mark of the Omega Tour's $200,000 (U.S. dollars) Guam Open at the
Leo Palace Resort.
Both
players followed opening rounds of 69 with seven birdies and one double bogey
and head the leaderboard on eight under par from Taiwan's Hsieh Yu-shu, who also
carded a 67, and defending champion Gerry Norquist of America who returned a 68.
After
touring the front half with a four-under-par 32, Lin was on course for a new record
over the 6,609-yard layout, before making a double bogey on the ninth, his final
hole of the day, when he hit his second shot out of bounds.
"My
short game was very good today, as was the rest of my game, but unfortunately
I played the ninth badly," said 25-year-old Lin, eighth on the 1997 Taiwan
PGA money list.
"In
the first round I four putted the ninth, and today I pulled a five iron out of
bounds and had to play the shot again -- I was four on and then two-putted."
While
Lin's double came at the end of his round, Smith clawed his way back into contention
after dropping two shots on the first when he fired his tee shot into heavy rough
left of the fairway.
"There
are a couple of holes out there that are real difficult for me -- one and nine,"
said Smith, who picked up shots on all four of the par-5s.
"Perhaps
it's a little psychological -- yesterday it was the ninth that got me, and today
it was the first. But if I can get through the front nine safely, then I'm confident
I can continue to attack the back nine at the weekend. I'm hitting my irons real
well at the moment and I'm happy with my form."
Smith
went out in a one-under-par 35, and returned with a four-under-par 32, and sank
birdie putts from 15 feet at the sixth and 25 feet on the par-3 15th.
The
experienced Hsieh moved closer to the top of the leaderboard after taming the
Leo Palace layout with seven birdies and two bogeys, while Norquist sits just
two off the lead thanks to an inspired performance with his putter.
The
1997 Guam Open champion holed birdie efforts from around 25 feet on the eighth,
11th and 12th, covering each half with a two-under-par 34.
"I
went home last week and worked with my teacher on my putting," said Norquist,
a three-time winner on the Omega circuit. "Every time I work with him he
manages to get me out of bad habits, and it certainly helped with my putting today."
As
for his chances at the weekend, Norquist will try not to think about defending
the title so he can just concentrate on his own game. "I'm not too worried
about the weekend, and I'll just focus on firing four good rounds," added
the 31-year-old American. "If I can do that on this course, and then still
get beaten by somebody, then I'll take my hat off to them."
Four
players share fifth spot on five under par, including Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng,
who carded a second round 67, and overnight leader Katsumune Imai of Japan who
returned a one-over 73.
