Fraser charges in second round

Updated December 07, 2012 13:30:31

American great Tom Watson wowed the morning galleries as Marcus Fraser rode the momentum of his magical first-day hole-in-one all the way to the clubhouse lead during the second round of the Australian Open at The Lakes.

With overnight leader John Senden teeing off on Friday afternoon, Fraser matched his first-round 69 to move to 6-under-par for the championship.

While he was unable to repeat his first-round ace on the 184-metre par-3 15th, Fraser compiled five birdies to join Senden atop the leaderboard.

Fraser mixed birdies on the sixth, seventh, 13th, 14th and 17th holes with bogeys on three and nine to nudge ahead of the chasing pack led by fellow New South Welshman Brendan Jones.

Jones climbed to 5-under with a solid second-round 70.

Afternoon starters Kim Felton, Richard Green, English world number four Justin Rose and New Zealander Gareth Paddison were all hoping to make a move on Fraser and Senden, as was pre-tournament favourite Adam Scott after his first-round 72.

After feeling embarrassed by his first-day 78, Watson thrilled fans with a bounce-back four-under 68 to revive his hopes of making the weekend cut.

Starting on the 10th, the eight-time major winner peeled off birdies on the 13th, 14th, 17th and 18th holes to claw his way back to two-over for the tournament.

Watson's inward nine wasn't so flash, but after dropping a shot on the third, his 12th hole of the day, the 63-year-old almost certainly confirmed a Saturday tee time with a birdie on his second-last hole of the round.

Watson was right on the projected cut line of two over before the afternoon players began their rounds.

Playing alongside Watson, defending champion Greg Chalmers notched his only birdie of the day on his third-last hole to join the American on the cut line after a 3-over 75.

Chalmers was disappointed with his own round, but delighted to have seen Watson rediscover some old magic.

"It was just fantastic. The guy shot four under and, really, if he was 20 years younger, he could do whatever he wanted," Chalmers said.

"If you look at his ball flight, it doesn't move very far through the air. It's very straight. He's got great control of the club.

"For him to come out here after yesterday's round, I just think he felt a little healthier today and got away to a good start, built on that and he played beautiful.

"I'm sure the organisers are thrilled because it's another chance to come out and watch one of the game's greatest players."

Chalmers admitted he had his work cut out winning a third Open after failing to capitalise on the benign scoring conditions early on Friday.

"Three par-5s on the back nine and I bogeyed two of them. That's not going to work if you want to have a good score out here," he said.

"I guess I'm going to get to play on the weekend so I get to go out and shoot a low score, but certainly I'm probably going to start a long way back."

AAP

Tags: sport, golf, sydney-airport-2020, australia

First posted December 07, 2012 12:56:03

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Storms wipe out British Open second round

Updated September 15, 2012 09:10:19

Severe winds wiped out the second round of the Women's British Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

Play started at 7am local time in the final major of the season but was stopped at 8.18am as winds reached gusts of 60mph (96kph) and balls moved on several greens.

At 11am it was decided, in accordance with Rule 33-2d, that the early day's play should be declared null and void. Three hours later it was decided to suspend play for the day.

South Korea's Ryu So-Yeon, joint overnight leader on 2-under, was one of the early starters and she had played one hole, taking a bogey six at the long 10th, her first hole.

But the rule decision means she is now back tied at the top with another South Korean, Haeji Kang.

Michelle Wie of the United States was out in the second group at 7.10am and managed to play three holes before the suspension.

"It's been a long day," said the American Solheim Cup player, who finished third in the Women's British Open as a 15-year-old in 2005.

"When I arrived at the course at 5am it was raining sideways. I've never seen anything like it."

"It was fairly sheltered by the tents when we set off but by the time we got to the 12th it was clearly unplayable," added Wie, who started her round at the 10th.

"The ball would barely stay on the tee and they were moving all over the greens. When you have to call a rules official six times on a green then you know it's bad.

"I'm so tall I felt like a flagpole. I thought I might fall over when I tried to hit the ball and it was definitely the right call."

For Susan Simpson, the Ladies' Golf Union's Head of Operations, the goal is still to complete 72 holes by Sunday evening. And she defended the decision to start play in the morning.

"The course was playable when we started but then the wind rose and play was not possible on the holes close to the sea," she said.

"Extending play until Monday is an option but we would obviously far prefer to finish on Sunday."

AFP

Tags: sport, golf, united-kingdom

First posted September 15, 2012 09:10:19

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De Jonge stalked by Tiger going into final round

Updated July 01, 2012 11:33:11

Zimbabwe's Brendan de Jonge climbed into the lead but Tiger Woods is lurking just a shot behind after the third round of the Maryland PGA event at a storm-hit Bethesda.

Seeking a maiden PGA Tour win, De Jonge carded a two-under par 69 to move to seven-under 206 for the tournament, a stroke clear of Americans Bo Van Pelt (67) and Woods (67), and Korean prospect Noh Seung-yul (69).

Massive storms in the area wreaked havoc overnight, forcing organisers to delay the start of play, and prohibit spectators and volunteers from attending due to fallen trees and dangerous conditions around the course.

Playing without huge galleries in competition for the first time in decades, former world number one Woods was bogey-free, picking up his four birdies in the opening 10 holes, including an impressive chip in on the sixth.

Similar to the wonder shot on the 16th hole in the final round of his recent Memorial Tournament victory, Woods missed the green long but conjured up a brilliant recovery from the rough to make birdie and maintain his momentum.

The third round was not such smooth sailing for overnight leader Hunter Mahan, who fired a two-over 73 to drop back into a share of fifth place on 208.

Reuters

Tags: sport, golf, united-states

First posted July 01, 2012 11:33:11

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Westwood leads after first round at Masters

Updated April 06, 2012 11:07:34

Lee Westwood grabbed the lead under the rain and late in the day in the first round of the Masters on Friday (AEST), as he set out yet again on his lifelong quest to win a major title.

Aaron Baddeley was the best of the Australians with a one-under 71, while John Senden and Geoff Ogilvy both finished two-over at 74.

Compatriots Jason Day and Adam Scott struggled, carding 76 and 75 respectively as amateur Bryden Macpherson endured a tough Augusta initiation with a five-over par 77.

World number three Westwood went out in 32 to signal his intentions and two more birdies against one bogey on the back nine, as the bad weather came in, nudged him ahead atop the leaderboard at five-under 67.

It was the first time the 38-year-old Englishman had led after the first round of a Major despite having five top-three finishes in his last nine majors.

Westwood finished the day one shot ahead of South African Louis Oosthuizen, who had four birdies in the last five holes to card a 68, and Peter Hanson of Sweden.

A stroke further back were a group of players comprising Paul Lawrie of Scotland, Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain, Francesco Molinari of Italy and Americans Ben Crane, Jason Dufner and Bubba Watson.

The 2008 winner, Zach Johnson of the United States, was on 70, level with veterans Vijay Singh and Jim Furyk among others.

Favorites Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy both struggled.

Woods battled against a wayward driver to scramble a level par 72 while McIlroy opened with a double-bogey six and splashed into Rae's Creek in front of the 13th green en route to an edgy 71.

Westwood, runner-up here to Phil Mickelson two years ago, said that he had been working at easing the tension involved in playing in the Masters.

"I've taken it very relaxed this week. I've played here enough - it's my 13th time - and I know the golf course and that eradicates a lot of the tension," he said.

"I came close recently and I have had a good career and all there is to win is a major championship and that is my primary focus now."

Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champion, said he was surfing on the wave of recent South African successes at Augusta National, including close friend Charl Schwartzel's four-birdie finish to win last year.

"We play together a lot and I think it's more just watching videos of him winning over and over, and seeing the way he handled himself under the pressure which was brilliant, finishing with four birdies," he said of his fellow South African's influence on him.

Timid Tiger

Woods, meanwhile, was wayward off the tee and had his short game to thank for salvaging a 72.

"I hit some of the worst golf swings I've ever hit today, and that's all right," he said.

"I just hung in there and grinded my way around the golf course and stayed very patient, stayed in the moment.

"Unfortunately that was about as good as I got right there. I could have shot one, maybe two better, but I got a lot out of that round."

Woods, who is seeking his 15th major title to draw to within three of Jack Nicklaus's record of 18, won his first tournament in 28 months two weeks ago and was immediately installed as Masters favorite with McIlroy leading a strong European challenge.

McIlroy, who blew a four-stroke lead on the Sunday in last year's Masters, seldom looked comfortable after pushing his opening drive into the tall Georgia pines lining the first hole.

But after a mixed bag of a round, he finished strongly with back-to-back birdies to duck under par.

"I'm a lot more pleased coming off the golf course than if I had finished par and to come off under-par is pleasing," the 22-year-old US Open champion said.

"My perseverance and patience paid off and it was nice to finish as I did, but I'm surprised someone didn't go lower than five today."

World number one Luke Donald, meanwhile, survived a disqualification scare after an investigation ruled that an administrative error was to blame for the wrong posting of his score at 73 instead of 75.

But the Englishman's four-over total left him with a mountain to climb as he seeks to win his first Major.

"I'm disappointed. That's not what I wanted. My irons were a bit off. Here that can eat you up. Maybe I can find something tomorrow," Donald said.

Three-time former champion Phil Mickelson was also left with a battle on his hands just to make the cut.

He stumbled badly with a triple bogey seven at the 10th, where he lost his ball off the tee, and with his driver deserting him, he came in with a two-over 74 that included a long birdie putt at the last.

First-round strugglers also included last year's joint runners-up Jason Day and Adam Scott of Australia, who carded 76 and 75 respectively, and 2008 champion Trevor Immelman of South Africa, who had a 78.

ABC/AFP

Tags: sport, golf, united-states

First posted April 06, 2012 10:09:09

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Korda takes Open lead into final round

Updated February 11, 2012 19:35:22

Jessica Korda is aiming to follow in her father's footsteps on Sunday and snare another Australian national title.

The 18-year-old American held a one-shot lead on Saturday after the third round of the Women's Australian Open at Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

And she is already on her way to topping her tennis-playing father Petr Korda, who won the Australian Open tennis crown in 1998.

"My dad was world number two and I told him I want to beat that," Korda said.

Just as they did for Petr 14 years ago, the stars stumbled and the doors opened for Jessica.

She fired an even-par 73 in tough, windy conditions to enter the last day four under the card.

One shot back are Canberra's Nikki Campbell plus Koreans So Yeon Ryu and Hee Kyung Seo.

While Campbell also found herself in a race for the title following a sparkling 70, Ryu and Seo struggled, shooting 76 and 75 respectively.

World number one Yani Tseng shot 71 to be two off the pace.

Korda's composure was helped by her early arrival in Melbourne, picked up at the airport by Victorian former international pro and course designer Mike Clayton, who caddied for her in a practice round the next day.

Searching for a caddy for his daughter, Petr Korda had phoned friend and fellow Australian Open tennis winner Ivan Lendl, who was in Melbourne last month as coach of Scottish star Andy Murray.

"Ivan goes out and plays golf with Michael all the time so he told me Michael would get me a caddy," Jessica said.

"I came out here on Sunday with a buggy ready to walk by myself and he caddied for me.

"He was a really good help and it was a lot of fun," she said. "He knows the course and the greens probably as well as anyone."

Korda said it would be "an awesome thing" were she to emulate her father's achievement.

She said he played golf but "he caddied for me (on the LPGA Tour) last year and was so sick of golf at the end of it that the only time we got him out was in December once or twice."

Korda said she was unfazed by leading the tournament at the age of 18.

"It feels like any other day, honestly. Don't get me wrong, it feels really good but I have one more day left," she said.

She said she would be nervous on the first tee on Sunday but not afraid.

"It's something to embrace and it's a good feeling to be out there and on top of the leaderboard."

AAP

Tags: sport, golf, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted February 11, 2012 19:35:22

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Golf Fitness Exercises to Warm Up Five Minutes Before Your Round of Golf

Bjorn strolls through first round

On a roll ... Thomas Bjorn walks down the 18th fairway on the first day of the British Open at Royal St George's.

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Clarke stands on the ninth tee during the third round

Tournament leader Darren Clarke stands on the ninth tee during the third round of the 140th British Open at Royal St George's in Sandwich.

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Bjorn strolls through first round

On a roll ... Thomas Bjorn walks down the 18th fairway on the first day of the British Open at Royal St George's.

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Day tees off during final round

Source:David Cannon/Getty Images, AFPPublished:Monday, June 20, 2011 10:26 AEST

Jason Day watches his tee shot on the second hole during the final round of the 111th US Open at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland, on June 19, 2011.

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