K.J. Choi eases ahead at Johnnie Walker
IN: News | Australasian PGA | Johnnie Walker Classic (2006) | Round Two | by Bruce Young | 10 Feb 2006
K.J. Choi took full advantage of the break that fell the way of those who had a late then early draw at the Johnnie Walker Classic and by lunchtime on day two he had established a four shot break over Tony Carolan and Adam Scott. It appeared even from that early stage that it was going to take something special to even get near the Korean.
The last time Choi played in Australia was back in 1999 when he played the Heineken Classic. He is not unfamiliar with Australia however as he has actually studied in Sydney in the mid 1990's. I recall him playing the Players Championship at Robina Woods in 1996 but he is of course now a world class player.
The three time winner on the USPGA Tour and certainly Korea's male golfing legend - given his success on that tour - put together an almost faultless round as he moved from his overnight third place position to a clear leader when he birdied his fifth hole of the day, the par four 14th. He made yet another birdie at the par three 16th then at the 18th (his 9th hole) he found the green with his second and two putted from forty feet to move to 11 under and he then enjoyed a three shot lead.
Choi made another birdie at the second hole (his 11th) then at the par five third, after finding the rough left from the tee, he finished just short of the green and then chipped and then putted from 6 feet for another birdie to move to 13 under. He missed a good chance at the 4th when his putt from 14 feet shaved the hole. At the controversial fifth hole he would go close to hiccup when he pushed his iron from the tee into the trees and then, when trying to cut the ball around the tree ahead, he was unable to do so and came to rest short and left of the green. He pitched from forty yards to six feet and made the putt to keep the momentum going. He finished with four pars for 66 and at 13 under he currently controls the tournament.
Queenslander Tony Carolan emerged from a rather dark period in his golfing life when he pre qualified for the event on Monday although as it turned out he would have made anyway on the withdrawal of Terry Price. Carolan underwent surgery to repair a torn cartilage more than twelve months ago and has spent the last year rebuilding his swing and his game. He has also been working with a new coach but this is a performance pretty much from left field. After several seasons in Canada and on the Nationwide Tour Carolan now has status on the Asian Tour having gained his card there in January. Ironically, perhaps, he had Terry Price's caddy, Tim Brasher, the former Rugby League great on his bag.
Adam Scott was out early and despite the early talk about his front running skills he soon relinquished his lead when he bogeyed the second and third holes. He worked his way back to even par for the day and eight under for the tournament when he birdied his 8th and then two putted the par five 18th for yet another. He missed a very good chance at his tenth hole but then birdied his 11th to get to one under for the day and nine under for the tournament. He would stay there despite one or two further chances and although four behind, it is a position that Scott has been relishing the chance to experience.
Scott had talked extensively on Wednesday about his great record as front runner but that he was keen to win an event of this significance coming from behind. Not that he chose it to be that way but he now has a chance to do just that.
Two players from the morning group would make dramatic improvement on their overnight position. South Australian Gary Simpson's first round of 75 had the 33 year old thinking about his flight to Adelaide for next week's Jacob's Creek Open. Today Simpson turned in 31 and although he dropped a shot at the 11th he was home in 32 for a course record 63 and at six under found himself well inside the cut line and no longer needing to call the airlines. Simpson shot 63 once previously at the Queensland PGA Championship when he finished runner up to Kurt Barnes at that event fifteen months ago, but this of course was not at Emerald Lakes, but rather at The Vines Resort and this was the Johnnie Walker Classic. Simpson has had the benefit of twelve months on the Asian Tour and clearly it is helping.
Gavin Flint has only recently secured his Asian Tour card and like so many in his situation as a recently turned professional, his biggest hurdle has been to find a place to play. The well credentialled amateur at one stage held three Australian State and the New Zealand Amateur titles at the same time. He has won a Von Nida Tour event but has battled to find a place to play on a regular basis in 2005. Now that he has that place he might be on his way in professional golf. He was round in 64 today after a flying start which saw him four under through three holes. He moved from the possibility of a weekend off to being very much in contention.
In the afternoon group were Richard Green who had two birdies and two bogies through the front nine but was then home in 33 to finish with 69 to be at nine under and very much with a chance to atone for his last hole stumble in Dubai.
Late in the day, Kevin Stadler, who had led along with Scott after round one, birdied the first to immediately move to nine under but then it took until the 9th hole of his round to make further progress. He did that when he eagled the par five 18th and turned in 33. He bogeyed the fifth but would pick up that shot at the last to finish with 69 and is Choi's closest challenger at just two back. "The course was getting tough late in the day," he said after his round. "The greens were getting hard and fast and are getting quicker every day."
Stephen Leaney, Ian Poulter, Scott Gardiner, Ian Poulter, Ross Fischer and Fransesco Molinari were all at eight under and only five back of Choi and three back of Stadler.
While there are still many chances there are some who now have no chance and several of those are notables. Retief Goosen, Peter Lonard, Colin Montgomerie and Michael Campbell who formed much of the pre-tournament publicity were out.
Lonard missed his first cut in this country since early 1992. He bounced back from a horror first round of 75 but 68 was not quite good enough to get the job done. He will now head for Los Angeles and next week's Nissan Open.
For Campbell it was huge disappointment given that he had been a two time winner here and that he came here wearing the mantle of US Open Champion. For Montgomerie it was his second consecutive missed cut and for Goosen, well the six week break he took before last week's Dubai event has him still with a bit of work to so.
There are still many stories left in this tournament yet however and as Perth heads towards an even hotter day on day three of the Johnnie Walker Classic the heat will also be on to see who can take a winning position into day four.
Photo - Anthony Powter
