GOLF:IRELAND'S GARETH Maybin and Peter Lawrie are just one shot off the lead at yesterday's halfway stage of the China Open. The pair are among a group of seven players at 12 under who trail Welshman Jamie Donaldson by a single stroke.
But while Lawrie and Maybin are at the business end of proceedings, Pádraig Harrington will have an unscheduled weekend off after the Dubliner missed the cut at Chengdu.
With the cut falling at five under, Harrington could only add a one over 73 to yesterday’s 71 and finished on level par. Paul McGinley will also have the weekend off after finishing alongside Harrington.
Former world number two Sergio Garcia carded a second bogey-free round in a row to stay in the hunt for victory.
The Spaniard, whose last victory came at the 2009 European Tours HSBC Champions in Shanghai, shot a 67 to complement his flawless 66 in the opening round and leave himself two shots behind Donaldson.
Garcia’s brother Victor Junior is carrying his bag at the Luxehills International Country Club in the absence of the player’s regular caddies.
“It’s been good fun. He’s doing a good job. We are just enjoying it out there and we are hoping we can keep doing the same thing,” Garcia said.
“It’s been good for the first two days and hopefully well keep it going.”
Donaldson fired a brilliant 11-under-par 61 for a total of 131. With preferred lies in play, the round did not break any records but he scorched the course with a flawless display including five birdies on the outward half and six coming home.
“That was a special one. I didn’t do anything wrong today. It was a great round,” Donaldson said.
Meanwhile, in Jakarta Lee Westwood stayed on course to regain the world number one ranking but returned disappointed after a lightning threat halted his charge in the second round in the Indonesian Masters.
The world number two, who switched to the conventional putter in the second round after grappling with a belly putter on Thursday, was at nine under when play was suspended with 47 players still to complete their rounds.
The Englishman scorched the Royale Jakarta Golf Club with seven birdies, He birdied his opening four holes before making the turn in 32.
He added a birdie and bogey on holes 12 and 13 respectively and birdied the 16th just before play was suspended.
Malaysia’s Shaaban Hussin and Korean Park Hyun-bin took the clubhouse lead with rounds of 67 and 68 for nine-under-par totals of 135 at the €516,000 Asian Tour event. They lead by one from Thailand’s Thitiphun Chuayprakong (68).
“Obviously, I’m disappointed because I had two more holes to play. I’m still in contention and have to see how things go in the next two days,” Westwood, who will turn 38 tomorrow, said.
It could be a memorable day for Westwood, who will top the rankings if he lifts the title and compatriot Luke Donald fails to win the Heritage tournament in South Carolina.
