Cabrera-Bello holds firm
England’s Willett and Malaysia’s Danny shoot 66 to stay in the hunt
HONG KONG: Rafa Cabrera-Bello shot a five-under 65 to extend his lead to three strokes after the second round of the Hong Kong Open at Fanling, as US Masters champion Danny Willett moved into contention for the weekend.
Spaniard Cabrera-Bello, one shot ahead overnight, rolled in six birdies with a solitary bogey to lead Australian Sam Brazel, who was in outright second place after shooting a second successive 66 in the European Tour co-sanctioned event yesterday.
“I managed to play good again. I played solid and put myself in very few risky positions,” said CabreraBello, who was on 11-under with a total of 129, chasing his first win on the Tour in four years.
“I felt in control again, just managed to keep up the good work like yesterday. I know I will win again. I’ve won before. I just need to keep giving myself chances.”
Willett, who became only the second Englishman to win the Masters in April, was among of group of four in third place after shooting a 66.
“Nice to shoot some numbers again,” Willett tweeted.
“Looking forward to the weekend ahead.”
Malaysia’s Danny Chia returned a 66 yesterday for a two-day total of 135 to tied for seventh place with Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee, Taiwan’s Hung Chien-yao and England’s Steve Lewton.
Team-mate Nicholas Fung missed the cut after shooting a 70 for a 142 total.
After a frustrating opening round blighted by four bogeys, Ian Poulter endured a horror quadruple-bogey on the 15th and dropped another shot on the 18th to finish with a two-over 72.
Poulter, who just made the cut on even par, found a greenside bunker on the 15th, failed to get out of it on his first attempt and put his second over the green.
Olympic champion Justin Rose shot a 69 to finish on one-under, 10 strokes off the pace.