Molinari ahead of Westwood by one
Source: Agencies |
November 6, 2010, Saturday
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Print Edition
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IN his first tournament at No. 1 in the world and having played only one tournament in three months, Lee Westwood could be satisfied with being a shot behind leader Francesco Molinari entering the weekend at the HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
Molinari built a big lead early before stumbling to a couple of bogeys, then held on for a 2-under 70 that gave him a two-round total of 9-under 135 in the World Golf Championship yesterday.
Sheshan International is not particularly suited to the Italian's game because it's long and he's not. But he found his way around to take the limelight from four players fighting out the No. 1 ranking.
Ernie Els got a small measure of redemption on the 18th hole and finished with a birdie for a 7-under 65, putting him two shots behind.
Tiger Woods remains in the mix, although not nearly close as he would like. Woods struggled with his swing and on the greens, so frustrated at the end of his round that he kicked his driver after a poor shot on the 18th. He still managed a 72, and will go into the weekend five shots off the lead.
"My score could have been worse," he said. "But it also could have been a lot better."
Defending champion Phil Mickelson had a 71 and was at 4-under 140, while Martin Kaymer had a 69 and was another shot behind.
With all the attention on the "Big Four" in Shanghai - Westwood, Woods, Kaymer and Mickelson all have a chance to go to No. 1 this week - Molinari keeps plodding along.
"It's really exciting for everyone watching that one of the four guys could be No. 1 in the world at the end of the week," Molinari said. "But for us, it doesn't really make a difference. We play together with them, against them, pretty much week in and week out. So everyone is really just focusing on improving his ranking rather than seeing who is going to be on top."
Westwood made sure he stayed very close.
Bounced back
He was rarely under much stress, except for one tee shot that bounded into the trees along the left side of the 11th fairway that led to his lone bogey. But he bounced back with birdies on the par-5 14th, and by hitting a driver onto and just over the 288-yard 16th for another simple birdie.
Westwood was poised to catch Molinari at the end, with a tee shot in the fairway on the par-5 18th and a decision to make. With the pin cut toward the front in a small collection area, caddie Billy Foster recommended that he lay up and have a full shot into the green. Westwood decided to go for the green with a 5-wood, and wound up left of the green and in an impossible spot.
His chip ran through the green, and he had to settle for par. "That flag, when it's on the front, is normally not as close to the slope as it was today," Westwood said. "It's normally further across on the right-hand side, so you've got a little bit more room to play. That's why you shouldn't play golf by memory."
Els was joined at 7-under 137 with Richie Ramsay of Scotland and Jaco Van Zyl of South Africa.
A year ago, Els had a chance to shoot 61 in the final round and win the tournament. He had a downhill lie in the 18th fairway and tried to cut a 5-wood into the green, only to catch it fat and watch it go into the water. He made bogey and finished one shot behind.
With an identical shot this year, Els went with a 4-iron. It barely cleared the water, ran through the back of the green and he hit a delicate putt down the slope to 3 feet for a birdie.
"Just after I hit that shot last year, I said, 'I should have gone with a 4-iron instead of trying to cut a 5-wood.' That was probably the shot I should have played last year," Els said. "I would have shot 61 and I would have won the tournament. Yeah, I did think about it."
Molinari built a big lead early before stumbling to a couple of bogeys, then held on for a 2-under 70 that gave him a two-round total of 9-under 135 in the World Golf Championship yesterday.
Sheshan International is not particularly suited to the Italian's game because it's long and he's not. But he found his way around to take the limelight from four players fighting out the No. 1 ranking.
Ernie Els got a small measure of redemption on the 18th hole and finished with a birdie for a 7-under 65, putting him two shots behind.
Tiger Woods remains in the mix, although not nearly close as he would like. Woods struggled with his swing and on the greens, so frustrated at the end of his round that he kicked his driver after a poor shot on the 18th. He still managed a 72, and will go into the weekend five shots off the lead.
"My score could have been worse," he said. "But it also could have been a lot better."
Defending champion Phil Mickelson had a 71 and was at 4-under 140, while Martin Kaymer had a 69 and was another shot behind.
With all the attention on the "Big Four" in Shanghai - Westwood, Woods, Kaymer and Mickelson all have a chance to go to No. 1 this week - Molinari keeps plodding along.
"It's really exciting for everyone watching that one of the four guys could be No. 1 in the world at the end of the week," Molinari said. "But for us, it doesn't really make a difference. We play together with them, against them, pretty much week in and week out. So everyone is really just focusing on improving his ranking rather than seeing who is going to be on top."
Westwood made sure he stayed very close.
Bounced back
He was rarely under much stress, except for one tee shot that bounded into the trees along the left side of the 11th fairway that led to his lone bogey. But he bounced back with birdies on the par-5 14th, and by hitting a driver onto and just over the 288-yard 16th for another simple birdie.
Westwood was poised to catch Molinari at the end, with a tee shot in the fairway on the par-5 18th and a decision to make. With the pin cut toward the front in a small collection area, caddie Billy Foster recommended that he lay up and have a full shot into the green. Westwood decided to go for the green with a 5-wood, and wound up left of the green and in an impossible spot.
His chip ran through the green, and he had to settle for par. "That flag, when it's on the front, is normally not as close to the slope as it was today," Westwood said. "It's normally further across on the right-hand side, so you've got a little bit more room to play. That's why you shouldn't play golf by memory."
Els was joined at 7-under 137 with Richie Ramsay of Scotland and Jaco Van Zyl of South Africa.
A year ago, Els had a chance to shoot 61 in the final round and win the tournament. He had a downhill lie in the 18th fairway and tried to cut a 5-wood into the green, only to catch it fat and watch it go into the water. He made bogey and finished one shot behind.
With an identical shot this year, Els went with a 4-iron. It barely cleared the water, ran through the back of the green and he hit a delicate putt down the slope to 3 feet for a birdie.
"Just after I hit that shot last year, I said, 'I should have gone with a 4-iron instead of trying to cut a 5-wood.' That was probably the shot I should have played last year," Els said. "I would have shot 61 and I would have won the tournament. Yeah, I did think about it."
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