MUNICH, 27 August 2005 — Luke Donald, still chasing his first win of the season, moved top of a leaderboard for the second week in succession after firing a seven-under-par 65 in the second round of the BMW International Open yesterday.
The Briton’s flawless seven-birdie effort helped him share the lead with Brett Rumford of Australia on 12-under 132.
Donald led last week’s WGC-NEC Invitational in Ohio but an indifferent third round 74 proved costly and he eventually had to settle for a tie for sixth place behind winner Tiger Woods.
The 27-year-old Englishman, one of the shorter hitters on tour yet also one of the most accurate, does not intend to fade away again this week.
“Last week I was very close to winning and I’ve brought that confidence with me,” Donald told reporters.
“The rough is a little bit thicker than in the past and accuracy off the tee is more of a factor.
“I can reach the par-fives in two as well. That has been important. I’m seven-under for the par-fives.
“Anyway my driving is no worse than average. I average out at 285 yards.” Rumford, who returned a five-under 67, continued to feed off the benefits of a two-week break at home in Perth after he had spent a month in Europe without earning any prize money.
“I hadn’t been playing that badly, just racking up big numbers every now and then and throwing shots away,” said Rumford after taking his birdie count to 14 in two days.
“I worked very hard back home and it looks as though everything has fallen into place.” Argentina’s Angel Cabrera (68) and Britain’s Simon Khan (65) tied for third place on 133.
David Howell of Britain, trying to secure one of the two places left in the field for next month’s World Matchplay Championship at Wentworth, was in a group one stroke further back.
Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen, Britain’s Bradley Dredge and Ricardo Gonzalez of Argentina were also on 134.
Curtis, Lewis Hit the Front
at Buick Championship
Former British Open winner Ben Curtis and fellow American JL Lewis shot six-under-par 64s to share the lead after the first round of the $4.3 million Buick Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut on Thursday.
Without a trophy since his shock victory at Royal St George’s two years ago, Curtis made a perfect start with back-to-back birdies at the TPC at River Highlands and never carded a bogey all day.
Lewis, also without a win since 2003, matched Curtis’s error-free round.
“It was a real good start, the best of starts that you can think of,” said Curtis, who has missed the cut in 13 out of 18 tournaments this season.
“I just felt comfortable all day,” he told reporters. “It was one of those days where even though the swing didn’t feel as good as it could have been, it was good enough to hit some close shots.
“I think you come and you just kind of like the place. It’s one where you’ve got to control your golf shots, you’ve got to control the spin of the shots.” One stroke off the lead on five-under 65 were Briton Justin Rose and Americans Kevin Sutherland, Vaughn Taylor, Franklin Langham and Michael Putnam, who was making his professional debut.
Japan’s Hidemichi Tanaka was in equal eighth spot on 66 alongside Corey Pavin, Chris Smith and Joe Durant.
Playing on a sponsor’s exemption, Putnam spent a good part of the day perched atop the leaderboard after mixing six birdies with a single bogey.
“I was excited, I waited all summer to turn pro until after the Walker Cup (two weeks ago),” said Putnam.
“That was my whole goal this summer, to play in the Walker Cup, get the Cup back for the United States. After we did that, it was an easy decision to turn pro.” The 22-year-old Putnam said his bogey five at the fourth hole settled his nerves.
“I think that bogey is really what calmed me down to get the rest of the round going because I finally did everything on the golf course,” he said.
“I made birdie, made par, then there was a bogey. After that, I was pretty calm and ready to go.”
