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Jamie Donaldson rose 57 places in the standings on Friday, thanks to his sizzling second round.
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Jamie Donaldson of Wales made 11 birdies for a second-round 61 Friday at the Volvo China Open, soaring to the top of the leaderboard of the European Tour event.
Donaldson is one stroke ahead of seven players tied at 12 under at the Luxehills International Country Club in Chengdu, the capital of China’s Sichuan province. His scintillating performance lifted him 57 places after a 2-under 70 in the first round.
Sergio Garcia of Spain was two shots back, alongside four others, after a round of 67. Garcia has yet to make a bogey this week.
Chinese star Liang Wen-chong followed his 68 with a 66 on Friday and is three shots behind the leader as 20 players lie within three shots of the lead heading into the weekend.
Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington (73) and defending champion Y.E. Yang (75) missed the cut. Despite opening the round with an eagle, Yang had five bogeys and a double bogey at the 18th.
Frenchman Gregory Havret, South African Keith Horne, Denmark's Jeppe Huldahl and Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium were among those tied for second at 12 under, and were joined later in the day by Irishman Peter Lawrie, Jeev Milkha Singh of India and Ulsterman Gareth Maybin.
"I had a good round. I birdied 16, 17, 18 then 1 and 3, so 5 under for six holes was the key,” said Havret, the 2010 U.S. Open runner-up, who completed a second consecutive round of 66.
"I've not played badly this year -- a couple of top-20s in the Middle East and a third in India, and I was a bit disappointed to miss the cut at the Masters,” he explained. “The game is pretty much there. I just need to get some iron shots going and I did that today."
Storm halts Westwood’s charge in Indonesian Masters
JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Lee Westwood moved into a tie for the lead at the Asian Tour’s Indonesian Masters Friday before the second round was suspended by thunder and lightning at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.
The No. 2-ranked Westwood rolled in four straight birdies to begin his round and holed a seventh at the 16th to move to 9 under for the tournament before he was forced off the course. Play will resume early at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, with Westwood having to play the last two holes.
Shaaban Hussin of Malaysia and Park Hyun-bin of South Korea were already in the clubhouse on 9 under.
“Good day on the links,” Westwood wrote on his Twitter feed. “Opened with 4 straight birdies but got to say I hate not finishing!”
Westwood will reclaim the top ranking from Martin Kaymer this week if he wins and Luke Donald doesn’t win the Heritage on the PGA Tour.
Shaaban Hussin and Park Hyun-bin claimed the clubhouse lead at the Indonesian Masters as Lee Westwood's charge came to a halt when the second round was suspended due to lightning on Friday.
Thailand's Thitiphun Chuayprakong (68) is one shot behind the leaders, while Pariya Junhasavasdikul, who shot the best round of the week so far with a 65, is another stroke back on 7 under in the clubhouse alongside three other players.
A total of 47 players have yet to complete their second rounds. Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee was 8 under with two to play.
Westwood, who reverted to a conventional putter Friday, 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.
"Obviously I'm disappointed because I had two more holes to play,” he said. “I'm still in contention and have to see how things go in the next two days."
Garrett DowningBaltimoreRavens.com Staff Writer
