Scwartzel jumps to top of leaderboard
Source: Agencies |
March 13, 2010, Saturday
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CHARL Schwartzel managed to get around the famed Blue Monster course without a bogey on his way to a 5-under 67 and a one-shot lead Thursday on a rough-and-tumble day in the World Golf Championship event in Doral, Florida.
Schwartzel, who qualified for the elite field with two victories in his native South Africa at the start of the season, had five birdies in a mistake-free round.
Not so fortunate were Ernie Els, Robert Allenby and Vijay Singh, all of them poised to claim a share of the lead or better until they stepped to the tee on the 443-yard closing hole at Doral that was playing into a wind strong enough to knock the caps off some players.
Singh was in the lead until hitting his tee shot into the water and making double bogey, giving him a 68.
Els was tied for the lead until his approach around the palm trees came up short and into the water. He scrambled for a bogey and also wound up with a 68.
Allenby, who had a five-shot lead early in the round when he was at 8 under through 12 holes, finished with four straight bogeys, the last one when he blasted out of a back bunker and saw his ball roll off the green and nearly into the water. He had 68 and found perspective quickly.
"That's the way things go," Allenby said. "If someone had said you're going to shoot 4 under today, I would have taken it."
Schwartzel could not have agreed more.
The south Florida wind, which gives the Blue Monster its fangs, was gusting when the 68-man field teed off and only relented late in the afternoon. Schwartzel got the toughest part of the course -- No. 18 -- out of the way early because he started on the back nine. He was among the few players who made par on a hole that averaged 4.65 strokes, which was higher than three of the par 5s.
"I didn't think 67 was out there at the beginning of the day, with the wind as strong as it was," Schwartzel said. "Early on, I made five birdies, which I thought you could do, especially with three par 5s being downwind. Some of them you're hitting wedge. The big achievement for me today was not making any bogeys. That kept the scorecard very clean."
Francesco Molinari of Italy was tied for the lead until he went into the water and made double bogey, giving him a 69 and putting him in the group that included Pebble Beach winner Dustin Johnson and Paul Casey.
Luke Donald had one of five birdies on the 18th, holing a bunker shot, and was in a group at 70 that also featured Padraig Harrington, Jim Furyk and Martin Kaymer.
On the LPGA tour, Italy's Giulia Sergas shot a 4-under-par 69 to take a three-stroke lead after yesterday's second round of the Women's Australian Open in Melbourne.
Sergas, who plays on both the European and LPGA tours, had a two-round total of 7-under 139 at the par-73 Commonwealth Golf Club.
Two South Koreans were tied for second -- Choi He-yong after a 69 yesterday and Yang Soo-jin with a 72.
Karrie Webb was in a group tied for fourth after a 70, four strokes back.
Schwartzel, who qualified for the elite field with two victories in his native South Africa at the start of the season, had five birdies in a mistake-free round.
Not so fortunate were Ernie Els, Robert Allenby and Vijay Singh, all of them poised to claim a share of the lead or better until they stepped to the tee on the 443-yard closing hole at Doral that was playing into a wind strong enough to knock the caps off some players.
Singh was in the lead until hitting his tee shot into the water and making double bogey, giving him a 68.
Els was tied for the lead until his approach around the palm trees came up short and into the water. He scrambled for a bogey and also wound up with a 68.
Allenby, who had a five-shot lead early in the round when he was at 8 under through 12 holes, finished with four straight bogeys, the last one when he blasted out of a back bunker and saw his ball roll off the green and nearly into the water. He had 68 and found perspective quickly.
"That's the way things go," Allenby said. "If someone had said you're going to shoot 4 under today, I would have taken it."
Schwartzel could not have agreed more.
The south Florida wind, which gives the Blue Monster its fangs, was gusting when the 68-man field teed off and only relented late in the afternoon. Schwartzel got the toughest part of the course -- No. 18 -- out of the way early because he started on the back nine. He was among the few players who made par on a hole that averaged 4.65 strokes, which was higher than three of the par 5s.
"I didn't think 67 was out there at the beginning of the day, with the wind as strong as it was," Schwartzel said. "Early on, I made five birdies, which I thought you could do, especially with three par 5s being downwind. Some of them you're hitting wedge. The big achievement for me today was not making any bogeys. That kept the scorecard very clean."
Francesco Molinari of Italy was tied for the lead until he went into the water and made double bogey, giving him a 69 and putting him in the group that included Pebble Beach winner Dustin Johnson and Paul Casey.
Luke Donald had one of five birdies on the 18th, holing a bunker shot, and was in a group at 70 that also featured Padraig Harrington, Jim Furyk and Martin Kaymer.
On the LPGA tour, Italy's Giulia Sergas shot a 4-under-par 69 to take a three-stroke lead after yesterday's second round of the Women's Australian Open in Melbourne.
Sergas, who plays on both the European and LPGA tours, had a two-round total of 7-under 139 at the par-73 Commonwealth Golf Club.
Two South Koreans were tied for second -- Choi He-yong after a 69 yesterday and Yang Soo-jin with a 72.
Karrie Webb was in a group tied for fourth after a 70, four strokes back.
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