The Philippine Online Chronicles

South Africa’s top golfer Ernie Els displayed precision fairway shots to emerge as the Round Two leader in the World Golf Championships-CA, shooting a 66 to be at 10-under halfway in the tournament.

Starting at the back nine, Els shot three consecutive birdies in holes 14 to 16 to climb at eight-under. All six of Els’ birdies came from easy mid-range putts.

Meanwhile, Australian Robert Allenby flirted with the leader’s spot anew only to fall with another play in the final hole.

Allenby, who finished the round with a 67 to end up at nine-under, scored a birdie in the 10^th hole and a stunning hole-in-one in the par-three, 300-yard hole 13. However, he incurred a double-bogey in the16th hole as a drizzle began to pour.

In the front nine, Allenby got tied with Els at nine-under in the par-five hole one, as the former shot an eagle while the latter, a birdie.

From holes two to seven, Eld displayed consistency by putting six straight pars. Allenby contrastingly went to a roller coaster ride, shooting birdies in holes two and five with bogeys in holes three and seven.

In hole eight, both Els and Allenby got tied anew at 10-under, but a costly bogey in hole nine relegated Allenby at second spot while Els salvaged a par to erect a precarious one stroke lead at the end of the day. It was the second straight day when Allenby relinquished the lead only in the final hole.

Round One leader Charl Schwartzel went down to third place at seven-under after shooting a 70 off an eagle at hole one; birdies at holes five and 10; and a double-bogey at hole 12, which was his first error in the tournament.

Tied with Schwartzel at third is American Bill Haas, who like Els, shot a day-low 66 with six birdies. Denmark’s Soren Hansen and Ireland’s Padraig Harrington are at fourth place at six-under while six players are tied at five-under.

Photo by Lotus Head.