'Big Easy' cruises to the top at Fanling
South African cards five-under-par 65 to take lead on second day, while Miguel Angel Jimenez toils to toilet-affected 70, missing the cut and dashing hopes of a title hat-trick
Four-time major winner Ernie Els gave into temptation on his 45th birthday yesterday, but it did not derail his plans to win the Hong Kong Open on his first attempt.
Starting the day two shots off the pace, Els raced to a two-shot lead at the halfway mark of the US$1.3 million tournament, which will be missing the familiar figure of Miguel Angel Jimenez this weekend.
The Spaniard, who had struggled with food poisoning during a poor first round of two-over 72, failed to make the cut, ending his bid to become the first player to win the Hong Kong Open five times.
"It is disappointing not to be able to defend my title because of my illness. Today, I was feeling a little better, but still not fit to hit the ball. I had to go to the toilet at one stage, and it was very difficult to come back," said Jimenez, a winner in 2004, 2007, 2012 and last year.
Els leads Raphael Jacquelin of France, and Australians Scott Hend and Cameron Smith by two shots. A group of 11 players, including overnight leader Jyoti Randhawa of India, were three shots behind.
Smith, 21, enjoying his first season on the Asian Tour, added a 65 to his first-round of 68 to charge up the leaderboard. "I'm feeling confident, but this is the first time I'm playing a co-sanctioned event with big names like Ernie Els who was my hero growing up. I hope I get the chance to play with him," Smith said.
Jimenez, 50, tried to make a fight of it, but four straight bogeys from holes six to nine were hard to swallow. He hit an eagle at the 13th, lucky for him, but followed it up with a bogey to finally end on even-par 70 and with a total of two-over 142. With the cut set at one-under 139, he missed out by three strokes.
His absence will make it easier for Els. After carding a five-under-par 65 to aggregate nine-under 131, he said he was well-placed to win with "the course there for the taking".
But the "Big Easy" was still kicking himself for chancing his arm at the par-four 288-yard fourth hole, aptly named "Temptation" by the Hong Kong Golf Club, which this year has given all the 18 holes a moniker.
"I went for the green instead of laying up," Els said. "The shot was on, but I didn't really have to go for it. It was a mental mistake as I tried to squeeze something out of it."
He failed to find the green and the result was a bogey, his only blemish of the day. But Els was more than satisfied, even though he failed to add to his six birdies over the remaining six holes.
"That hole was a bit of a bummer and I lost my concentration a little," Els said. "But I feel really good and shooting a 65 is what I needed to do especially after my good start.
"It could have been really low today, but I'm where I am and I'm happy about that. The course is there for the taking and I'm in a good position," Els said.
Jacquelin said patience was the key around Fanling, even more so when your form was only "so-so".
"It's a bit frustrating when you know you can do it and you're not. But that's golf."
Among the other notables to miss the cut were former Ryder Cup star Nicolas Colsaerts and China's Zhang Lianwei, who finished at four over.
