FOREST OF ARDEN, England, 8 May 2004 — A two shot penalty on veteran Eduardo Romero prevented the Argentinean from taking the second round lead of the British Masters here yesterday. The 49-year-old was standing over a putt on the 14th green when the ball suddenly moved. Romero did not believe he had grounded his putter, which would have put the ball in play, so did not consider it a stroke.
But when he went into the scorers hut after his round referee John Paramor told him he had grounded his putter and had to take a two shot penalty. It was a sour ending to what had been a stunning round by Romero.
He had shot a five-under 67 on Thursday and looked to have gone one better yesterday to move to 11-under for the championship until the penalty was called, leaving him at nine-under and one behind early second round leader Patrik Sjoland of Sweden. Sjoland moved atop the leaderboard when he fired a second round seven-under 65. It put him at 10-under for the championship and four clear of overnight leader David Howell who had just teed off as the 33-year-old Sjoland walked off the 18th green.
A slim downed Lee Westwood went on a birdie blitz to put himself firmly in contention for the weekend. The Englishman, who has lost 30lbs since Christmas, shot a seven-under 65.
Also putting the pressure on Howell and putting themselves firmly in contention for what promises to be a spectacular weekend shootout were Brian Davis, who stood at nine-under for the tournament thanks to a five-under 67 second round.
Colin Montgomerie, who admitted that Thursday’s first round was the first day of a new life following the announcement that he and his wife were to divorce, kept himself in the hunt with a three-under 69 to add to his opening level par 72.
Woods Enjoys Mixed Fortunes on His Return
In Charlotte, North Carolina, Tiger Woods returned to the PGA Tour with mixed results on Thursday. The world No. 1 carded a bogey-free, three-under-par 69, his fifth round in the 60s in his last 13 attempts, and was five shots adrift of leader Kirk Triplett, 42.
But Woods struggled off the tee in the opening round, hitting only four of 14 fairways, and he only made 10 of 18 greens in regulation. If not for a combination of good putting and a lucky bounce off the rocks in the creek on the 18th hole, Woods’ score would have been much worse.
Triplett finished strong with six birdies on his final eight holes. “It just felt like my day toward the end,” said Triplett, whose 8-under-par 64 put him two strokes in front of Brett Quigley, Australian Stuart Appleby, South African Rory Sabbatini and Swede Fredrik Jacobson in ideal conditions at Quail Hollow golf course.
Vijay Singh, trying to become the first player since Woods in 1999 to win three consecutive PGA Tour events, carded a 68 that was one stroke better than Woods. Masters champion Phil Mickelson shot 70.
Mike Weir arrived here last year amid much fanfare in his first start after winning the Masters. A year later, the Canadian lefthander snuck into town almost unnoticed. However, Weir showed his game has not left him as he carded a 67.
Johl Holds Lead as Harrington Edges Up
In Macau, India’s Amandeep Johl battled winds to preserve his one-shot lead at the halfway stage of the $275,000 Macau Open on a day when Irish star Padraig Harrington moved up the leaderboard with a round that included a bizarre bogey.
Johl, who set a new course record on Thursday with 62, carded a second round two-under-par 69 in the Asian Tour event. Harrington, the world No. 8, endured some high drama en route to a 67. On the tight par four seventh hole, he had to hit three provisional balls due to wayward shots that found trouble. He eventually found his first ball, which was unplayable, and settled for a bogey five. Johl, searching for his first Asian Tour title, battled gallantly to keep himself ahead of compatriot Harmeet Kahlon, who carded a second straight 66 to move into second place.
South Korean Kang Leads Michelob Open by a Stroke
In Williamsburg, Virginia, Kang Soo-yun was uncanny with her irons, but it was her putter that made the difference. One of the up and coming South Koreans on the LPGA Tour, Kang fired a 6-under-par 65 on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the $2.2 million LPGA Michelob Ultra Open.
Kang nearly aced the 170-yard fifth hole with a 7-iron and left wedge shots inside three feet to set up three of her other six birdies to pace an elite field. Helen Alfredsson of Sweden and Dorothy Delasin are one shot back, Kim Saiki opened with a 67 and Hall of Famer Juli Inkster is among six players tied for fifth place. Swedish superstar Annika Sorenstam is four strokes off the pace while 14-year-old Michelle Wie made four bogeys and three birdies.
