Dodd braves harsh conditions to lead Volvo China Open
BY iseekgolf.com | Asian Tour | 2004 Volvo China Open | Round Two | 26 Nov 2004
Briton Stephen Dodd battled biting cold and windy conditions to open up a three-shot lead at the halfway stage of the US$1 million Volvo China Open today.
The 38-year-old Dodds produced a two-under-par 70, illuminating a gloomy day at Shanghai Silport Golf Club as temperatures dipped to near freezing point. Korea’s Chung Joon led the Asian Tour’s charge in the 10th Volvo China Open, jointly sanctioned for the first time with European Tour.
Chung carded a 72 after dropping three bogeys in his last five holes for tied second place with England’s Matthew King and Dane Soren Hansen, playing with nine good fingers after suffering a hairline fracture in the last finger of his left hand. Hansen shot a 71 while King returned a 73.
Local favourite and defending champion Zhang Lian-wei bore the brunt of the wind chill by not having winter gloves to keep his hands warm and stumbled to a 76 for a two-day total of 145, seven off the lead. “The wind was a huge factor, it was freezing cold. I need to buy a pair of gloves for tomorrow. I’ve never won a tournament from seven shots back but I’ll try my best,” said Zhang.
Europe’s Ryder Cup star Thomas Bjorn stayed within striking distance in the Volvo China Open following a 72. The resurgent Dane, coming out of a rough mid-summer patch, said trailing the surprise leader by five strokes is not insurmountable. "Level par is a good score, it was tough out there. I had it going for a while as I was two under after 10 holes and then made some mistakes. But you’re going to make bogeys in these conditions. In the last five or six holes, it was just a question of trying to get quickly into the clubhouse without any more mistakes.
“It leaves me in the golf tournament and that’s the important thing. A 70 from Stephen is a great round, there’s a bit of catching up to do but five shots is five shots and there is the weekend to go. I couldn’t believe how cold it was. When you stay on the 70th floor in a building in Shanghai you can’t make out the weather. You think it’ll be alright after yesterday but when I got outside, it was cold,” said Bjorn, who finished seventh in Japan last week.
Since playing on the European Tour in 1995, Dodd has never won a title but braved the difficult conditions to shoot four birdies, including a chip-in on the eighth. “It was quite cold and rained for a couple of holes. I’m obviously pleased with that score,” said Dodd, who leads with his two-day score of six-under-par 138.
With the temperature dipping drastically to about two degrees Celcius in the morning, the Welshman hit only four shots at the practice range before his early morning start and had three practice putts. "I hit one pitch, three six irons and had three putts and a few swings in the clubhouse. It was just too cold, the wind was from the left, I was just wasting time out there. When I was out here at 6.15am, there was no one at the range.
“I’ve never played in a tournament in conditions like this. I’m just pleased with a 70. We’re halfway through the tournament and there are a lot of good players out there. At least I won’t be off at 6.15am tomorrow,” said Dodd, fresh from his 58th finish on the money ranking in the 2004 European Tour season. The Volvo China Open is the opening event on the European Tour’s 2005 International Schedule.
Korea’s Chung is enjoying new found confidence, thanks to recent golf lessons with renowned swing guru David Leadbetter in Orlando. He was chasing the leader, going to three under on the day through 12 holes but stumbled with late bogeys on 14, 16 and 17.
“It was hard to play in those conditions. I had a good start but couldn’t keep it going. But I’m still very much in it,” said Chung, winner of last year’s Maekyung Open on home soil. "I was in the US for two months to try the US PGA Tour qualifying school stage one but didn’t make it. Then I saw my coach Andrew Park at the Leadbetter Academy. David Leadbetter gave me a couple of tips and reminded me about my focus. It was a good trip as I’ve taken a lot of confidence from that. When I’m playing now, I am just trying to let it flow," said the Korean
Hansen hurt his finger playing basketball last week and as it is tapped, he has cut off the end bit of his glove to fit the finger in. “I think I would prefer to play back home,” said the Dane of the bitter cold after birdieing his last two holes of the day.
“I’m supposed to be keeping the finger straight but it is hard moving the club that way. The doctor said I could play if I wanted to. I’m playing with some new irons this week and that’s why I’m out here for the next two weeks. It’s the small movements that hurt. It’s not quite gripping the way I want to. I’m due to play next week in Hong Kong, so hopefully it’s warmer!”
Another Welshman Bradley Dredge, the co-overnight leader, carded a 75 to slip to two-under for the event in tied fifth place while Unho Park of Australia, tied with Dredge at the start of the round, fell off the leaderboard with an 80.
The cut was seven-over-par 151, a clear reflection of the tough conditions. A total of 72 players made it through to the weekend, including the lone amateur in the field, American-Chinese 19-year-old Henry Liaw. The former US Junior Amateur champion added a 77 to his opening 73. Three other Chinese players Liang Wen-chong, Shang Lei and Huang Ming-jie also made the halfway cut.
Source – Asian Tour
