Lee Westwood Continues To Defend Title In Malayasia
By Les Bailey
Jun 13, 2014; Pinehurst, NC, USA; Lee Westwood tees off on the 16th hole during the second round of the 2014 U.S. Open golf tournament at Pinehurst Resort Country Club – #2 Course. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
The Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club toughened on Friday, during the second round of the 2015 Maybank Malaysian Open, but defending champ, Lee Westwood hangs on to a share of the lead. His Ryder Cup partner, Graeme McDowell was not as sharp, and was replaced by Spaniard, Alejandro Canizares at the top.
Forty-one year-old Lee Westwood fired a five under par 67 in the second round at the Malaysia Open on Friday, and will play in the last group on Saturday with a forgotten Spaniard who has won only one tournament in the last eight years, and has fallen to 139th in world rankings.
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With three pars,starting on the front nine, the former number one made his only bogey at the difficult par five fifth hole, making the turn at one under par.
May 9, 2014; Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, USA; Graeme McDowell tees off on the 6th hole during the second round of The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass – Stadium Course. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Alejandro Canizares shot the low round of the week on Friday
Westwood got up and down from a green side bunker at ten, for birdie, and holed a twelve-foot putt at 13 for another. Two more birdies at 16 and 18, got him in the clubhouse with a clean backside.
"“I played nicely again,” said Westwood. “It was pretty solid again and I probably only hit one poor shot all day, from the middle of the fairway on the fifth hole – I was going in with a five iron and blocked it right into the water.“Other than that it was very good and I felt very comfortable out there; I hit a lot of fairways and some good iron shots and made some nice putts. It was great to birdie two of the last three and go from one in front to three in front.”"
Thirty-two year-old Alejandro Canizares shot the low round of the week on Friday, carding a seven under par 65 to join the lead.
Canizares went bogey-free in round two, and hasn’t made one since the 15th hole on Thursday. The pair is three shots clear of Austrian, Bernd Wiesberger, who sits alone in third place, three shots back.
"“It was a lot of fun and I played really well,” said the 32 year old. “I wasn’t so good off the tee today, but I putted really well.“I made some great up-and-downs when I missed a shot, and I’m very happy overall. I can’t wait for the weekend – it will be a lot of fun.“It’s a great position to be in and I couldn’t ask for any better; hopefully I can keep it going.”"
Alejandro Canizares has two wins on the European Tour, his last coming in 2014, at the Troph’ee Hassan last March in Morocco. His other victory came in 2006 at the Russian Open. Canizares finished the Desert Swing with a 12th in Abu Dhabi, and an eighth in Qartar.
Bernd Wiesberger played well in the Desert Swing, and finished tied for second place at this event last year. The 29 year-old Austrian fired a six under 66 in the second round, and is a man on a mission, to win a golf tournament.
Wiesberger put seven birdies on his card, with one slip-up at the par three eleventh hole.
"“Sometimes you get in a groove and play well and things happen for you, and I just hope it lasts a long time,” said Wiesberger."
Dropping off of the front page of the leaderboard, and having a horrible day on Friday in Malaysia, was first-round co-leader, Graeme McDowell. The popular Northern Irishman struggled out or the gate, but with three birdies on his card, made the turn at one under par.
The back nine would kick his behind, going three over par in two holes at 11, and 12. The double bogey at the twelfth hole took the wind out of his sails, and the lone birdie at 17 couldn’t get him into red numbers for the day.
McDowell carded a one over 73 on a tough day. He dropped seven spots on the leaderboard, and has sole possession of eighth place going into the weekend.
The projected cut in Malaysia appears to be two over par. The European Tour’s January player of the Month, Frenchman, Gary Stal is one of the victims who will get a break before the tour moves to Thailand next week.
A list of young stars just inside the cut line and playing the weekend, are Stephen Gallacher, Tommy Fleetwood, a last year runner-up, Robert Karlsson, and young Belgian, Thomas Pieters.
Source and Quotes from EuropeanTour.com