Ian Poulter takes one-shot lead into the weekend at Hong Kong Open
Ian Poulter shot a scintillating ten-under 60 on the second day of competition at the Hong Kong Open on Friday 19 November to move to 13-under for the event. He will take a one-shot lead
over Anthony Kang into the weekend.
Poulter, who won the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship earlier this year, had a blemish-free round of golf, finishing with ten birdies and no bogeys. His 60 tied the course record
on the Fanling course but because the players were playing with the preferred-lie rule, the score will not officially count in the record books.
Meanwhile, Kang, who has one win on the European Tour and three on the Asian Tour, came close to matching Poulter’s score as he had a nine-under round of 61. Like Poulter, Kang didn’t
record a bogey on the day to go along with nine birdies, six of which came on the back nine.
Rory McIlroy, ranked tenth in the world, sits two shots behind Poulter, his Ryder Cup team-mate, after carding a 66 to finish at 11-under. McIlroy’s day was up and down, as he offset a
bogey and a double bogey with five birdies and an eagle. The double bogey came at the 18th hole when McIlroy, playing with Poulter, put his second shot in the lake in front of the green. Simon Dyson also sits at 11-under, just two shots back of the lead.
A group of four players, including U.S. Open champion Graham McDowell, sit at 10-under for the event. John Daly, the former major champion, shot a second round 66 and is eight shots off
the lead.
What they said
Poulter, a nine-time winner on the European Tour, ranks his 60 as one of the best of his career. "I would rank
it pretty high to be honest. I hit 61 in Italy in 2002 I think, so it's my lowest round of golf to date, so I would have to rate it up there. I had a lot of chances today and I could have holed a couple more but it's a good round of golf."
Poulter said he enjoyed playing with McIlroy and looks forward to a battle over the weekend. "It was a good
matchup. I knew he was going to play well today and I knew I was going to have to play well and hit a low score to stay in touch. I'm sure he's a little disappointed to finish like
that, but Rory's playing well and it's going to be an exciting weekend."
McIlroy looks forward to it. "He (Poulter) is playing very well and he'll be tough to beat this week. I'll
just have to go out this weekend and try and play really well."
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