'Big Easy' cruises to the top at Fanling
South African cards five-under-par 65 to take lead on second day, while Miguel Angel Jimenez toils to toilet-affected 70, missing the cut and dashing hopes of a title hat-trick
Four-time major winner Ernie Els gave into temptation on his 45th birthday yesterday, but it did not derail his plans to win the Hong Kong Open on his first attempt.
Starting the day two shots off the pace, Els raced to a two-shot lead at the halfway mark of the US$1.3 million tournament, which will be missing the familiar figure of Miguel Angel Jimenez this weekend.
The Spaniard, who had struggled with food poisoning during a poor first round of two-over 72, failed to make the cut, ending his bid to become the first player to win the Hong Kong Open five times.
"It is disappointing not to be able to defend my title because of my illness. Today, I was feeling a little better, but still not fit to hit the ball. I had to go to the toilet at one stage, and it was very difficult to come back," said Jimenez, a winner in 2004, 2007, 2012 and last year.
Els leads Raphael Jacquelin of France, and Australians Scott Hend and Cameron Smith by two shots. A group of 11 players, including overnight leader Jyoti Randhawa of India, were three shots behind.
Smith, 21, enjoying his first season on the Asian Tour, added a 65 to his first-round of 68 to charge up the leaderboard. "I'm feeling confident, but this is the first time I'm playing a co-sanctioned event with big names like Ernie Els who was my hero growing up. I hope I get the chance to play with him," Smith said.
Jimenez, 50, tried to make a fight of it, but four straight bogeys from holes six to nine were hard to swallow. He hit an eagle at the 13th, lucky for him, but followed it up with a bogey to finally end on even-par 70 and with a total of two-over 142. With the cut set at one-under 139, he missed out by three strokes.