Review | Ernie Els leads Hong Kong Open by two shots after sizzling 65
Four-time major winner will take a two-shot lead into the last two rounds at Fanling, but defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez misses the cut after struggling with illness
Ernie Els stormed into the lead on day two of the Hong Kong Open with a superb 65 on the morning of his 45th birthday, but the celebrations will be on hold for another two days.
Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez's hopes of winning a fifth title went down the toilet as he struggled to a 70 after suffering from food poisoning and missed the cut.
Els had four birdies in his first seven holes as he got off to a flier as one of the early starters, setting an imposing total of nine under par by lunch time that no-one else in the field could surpass.
Australian youngster Cameron Smith, compatriot Scott Hend and France's Raphael Jacquelin are two shots further back, with a clutch of players on -6 heading into a fascinating weekend.
"I played quite nicely and obviously 65 is exactly what I needed to do," said Els.
"The course is there for the taking, so we'll see if I'm leading by the end of the day. But I'm looking forward to the rest of the week obviously in a good position."
Jimenez seemed to have shrugged off the food poisoning that he suffered through on Thursday when he racked up two early birdies, but four bogeys in a row effectively ended his chances before the turn.
"It's very disappointing to let down the fans like this," said the popular Spaniard. "But I'll definitely be back next year."
Catch up with all the day's action below
Round 1 Highlights:
5.45pm
-9 Ernie Els
-7 Raphael Jacquelin, Scott Hend, Cameron Smith
-6 Lu Wei-chih, Daan Huizing, Lee Slattery, Marcus Both, S.S.P. Chowrasia, Wade Ormsby, Marcus Fraser, Angelo Que, Julien Quesne, Seve Benson, Jyoti Randhawa
-5 9 players
PROJECTED CUT: -1
Well that's it for the day from us, with only one or two groups still out on the course and not in any danger of affecting the top of the leaderboard.
Looks like Ernie Els will tee it up with Raphael Jacquelin tomorrow in the last group out as the South African seeks to stretch his lead.
But there's at least 20 players behind him who will fancy their chances of catching up during Rd 3. Tune in tomorrow for more live coverage.
5.30pm
-9 Ernie Els
-7 Raphael Jacquelin, Scott Hend, Cameron Smith
-6 Lu Wei-chih, Daan Huizing, Lee Slattery, Marcus Both, S.S.P. Chowrasia, Wade Ormsby, Marcus Fraser, Angelo Que, Julien Quesne, Seve Benson, Mark Foster
-5 10 players
PROJECTED CUT: -1
Cameron Smith, who's on his debut Asian Tour season and has been in contention a couple of times this year, finishes on -7.
"I missed a couple of fairways on the way in, but overall I'm pretty happy," said Smith, 21.
"I just tried to keep doing what I was doing after that great start and hitting fairways was the key.
"My confidence is pretty good after a couple of top-10 finishes and hopefully I can keep it rolling.
"The quality is a little different to what I'm used to on the Asian Tour, it being a co-sanctioned event, but it's good to step up a level and compete against some of the best.
"Ernie Els was a hero of mine growing up and hopefully I'll get the chance to play with him on Sunday."
5pm
-9 Ernie Els
-7 Raphael Jacquelin, Scott Hend, Cameron Smith
-6 Lu Wei-chih, Daan Huizing, Lee Slattery, Marcus Both, S.S.P. Chowrasia, Wade Ormsby, Marcus Fraser, Angelo Que, Julien Quesne, Seve Benson, Mark Foster
-5 10 players
PROJECTED CUT: -1
Cameron Smith's challenge seems to be wavering a little as he bogies his second-last hole to go to -7. Unless he birdies No.10 (his last), it looks like Els is assured a two-shot lead going into Round 3.
Mark Foster has joined the group on -6 that is now 11-strong; they'll all fancy their chances, while another 10 are one shot further back
4.30pm
-9 Ernie Els
-8 Cameron Smith
-7 Raphael Jacquelin, Scott Hend
-6 Lu Wei-chih, Daan Huizing, Lee Slattery, Marcus Both, S.S.P. Chowrasia, Wade Ormsby, Marcus Fraser, Angelo Que, Julien Quesne, Seve Benson
-5 13 players
PROJECTED CUT: -1
So, there'll be no fifth Hong Kong Open title for Miguel Angel Jimenez as he ends the day on +2. A bout of food poisoning on the eve of the tournament has helped scupper the defending champion's hopes of retaining his title, but he insists he'll be back next year to give it another go.
"It's very disappointing," says the Spaniard. "Today was a little better, but my stomach was still cramping ... at one point I had to head off with a rules official to find a toilet. I was walking around like a phantom.
"It's a very difficult course, you need to be very precise and in the condition I was I just couldn't do it today.
"I love this place and I feel sorry for letting down the fans, but I'll definitely be back."
Fellow Australian Scott Hend has finished on -7 with a flawless 66 and is in contention for the weekend.
There's still more than 25 players within four shots of Els who will all feel they have a chance
4pm
-9 Ernie Els
-8 Cameron Smith
-7 Raphael Jacquelin
-6 Lu Wei-chih, Daan Huizing, Lee Slattery, Marcus Both, S.S.P. Chowrasia, Wade Ormsby, Marcus Fraser, Angelo Que
-5 11 players
PROJECTED CUT: -1
Angelo Que's just finished his second round, missing his par putt on 18 to finish the day at -6.
"A bit disappointing to finish with a couple of dropped shots, three-putted on 15 as well, but it probably evens out with the putts I made yesterday.
"I really wanted to play with Ernie, but maybe I'll get the chance with a good round on Saturday.
"I finished fifth here last year and really like the course so I think I'm in with a chance.
"My goal was just to finish in the top 10 and try to secure my card before really pushing on aggressively for the rest of the season."
Que, whose parents are Chinese, speaks Mandarin to them, Tagalog with his siblings and English with his wife and kids. A Chinese reporter asks if he gets a lot of local support because of his "Chinese face".
"Well, I never take my sunglasses off so they don't know," he jokes.
The projected cut is down to -1 meaning Jimenez (now +2 after a birdie on 16) is pretty much doomed unless he eagles and birdies his last two.
Cameron Smith still playing pretty much flawless golf as the only man who can overtake Els at the top today
3.25pm
-9 Ernie Els
-8 Cameron Smith
-7 Raphael Jacquelin, Angelo Que
-6 Lu Wei-chih, Daan Huizing, Lee Slattery, Marcus Both, S.S.P. Chowrasia, Wade Ormsby, Marcus Fraser
-5 10 players
PROJECTED CUT: Par
Cameron Smith has just notched another birdie, his seventh of the day, to move to within one shot of Els.
Jimenez, meanwhile, has just need two shots to get out of a bunker on 14. Nails a testing 10-footer, but it's still a bogey and he's now +3 over with four to play ... looks like he's going home.
Meanwhile, the observation around the media centre is that Jimenez must be confident the food poisoning that affected him yesterday is gone - he's got white trousers on today (black yesterday)
3.10pm
-9 Ernie Els
-7 Raphael Jacquelin, Cameron Smith, Angelo Que
-6 Lu Wei-chih, Daan Huizing, Lee Slattery, Marcus Both, S.S.P. Chowrasia, Wade Ormsby, Marcus Fraser
-5 10 players
PROJECTED CUT: Par
Well, we put the kiss of death on Que with our last update there, he immediately bogies to go back to -7.
Having done a little Googling, we can report that Cameron Smith, 21, is considered one of Australia's most promising players having one all the major amateur titles there before turning pro last year.
He's come close to a maiden win a couple of times this season without success. One to watch.
Meanwhile, Jimenez has just chipped in for an eagle 3 on the 13th to get back to +2 - could that be the spark he needs to make the cut?
2.55pm
-9 Ernie Els
-8 Angelo Que
-7 Raphael Jacquelin, Cameron Smith
-6 Lu Wei-chih, Daan Huizing, Lee Slattery, Marcus Both, S.S.P. Chowrasia, Wade Ormsby, Marcus Fraser
-5 10 players
PROJECTED CUT: Par
Angelo Que of the Philippines is up to -8 after consecutive birdies. He has four holes left to try to take the outright lead. He likes this course and was in contention for a while last year; can't be ruled out.
Jimenez needs four birdies in his last seven here to stay in. A big job but not impossible given his experience here.
2.40pm
-9 Ernie Els
-7 Raphael Jacquelin, Cameron Smith, Angelo Que
-6 Lu Wei-chih, Daan Huizing, Lee Slattery, Marcus Both, S.S.P. Chowrasia, Wade Ormsby, Marcus Fraser
-5 10 players
PROJECTED CUT: Par
Jimenez has steadied the ship a little, with a par on 10, but he needs to start racking up the birdies. Colsaerts is back to +1 after a birdie on 10.
Cameron Smith has had his fifth birdie in eight holes on 18 to join Jacquelin on -7, and Angelo Que's also moved up one after birdying 13.
Meanwhile, it looks like whoever is in charge of the European Tour Twitter account is enjoying their day: How's about handing a few meal tickets for the hardworking press eh?
2.20pm
-9 Ernie Els
-7 Raphael Jacquelin
-6 Lu Wei-chih, Daan Huizing, Lee Slattery, Marcus Both, S.S.P. Chowrasia, Andrea Pavan, Wade Ormsby, Angelo Que, Marcus Fraser, Cameron Smith
-5 8 players
PROJECTED CUT: Par
It's getting worse for Jimenez, with another bogey, his fourth in a row. He's out in 36, sits +4, and needs a big back nine if he's not to relinquish his title before the weekend.
Colsaerts has at least pulled one back at 9, but still out in a wince-inducing 40. Two over in total.
Little-known (at least to me) Australian Cameron Smith has jumped up to -6 after starting with four consecutive birdies.
Unfortunately, no Hong Kong players are going to make the cut.
2pm
-9 Ernie Els
-7 Raphael Jacquelin
-6 Lu Wei-chih, Daan Huizing, Lee Slattery, Marcus Both, S.S.P. Chowrasia, Andrea Pavan, Wade Ormsby, Angelo Que, Marcus Fraser, Cameron Smith
-5 8 players
PROJECTED CUT: Par
Nicolas Colsaerts is having an absolute disaster here. Four under after round one, he's now three over, having hit five bogies and a double in his first eight holes.
He's in serious danger of missing the cut unless he pulls it together - as is defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez.
He's gone to +3, with consecutive bogies on 6, 7 and 8.
1:30pm
-9 Ernie Els
-7 Raphael Jacquelin
-6 Lu Wei-chih, Daan Huizing, Lee Slattery, Marcus Both, S.S.P. Chowrasia, Andrea Pavan, Wade Ormsby, Angelo Que, Julien Quesne
-5 11 players
Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez is underway after struggling to a two-over 72 yesterday because of food poisoning. Update: after six, he's back to +1 with a bogey on 6.
Overnight leader Jyoti Randhawa has already dropped a shot at his second hole.
Raphael Jacquelin of France had a solid day, 67 to go with a 66, and he's alone in second on -7 at the moment. Currently 75 in the Race to Dubai (top 60 qualify for the finals), a good payday could boost a frustrating season.
Some reaction from him:
"I've been playing well this week. So I know the course pretty well. It can be tricky but you've got a lot of birdie position if you put the ball in play. So that's makes it a really big difference if you can be in the fairway because you've got some short irons to the greens, but if you are in the semi rough, you're in the semi rough or rough, you can get a big flyer and it's difficult to putt it on the green.
So yeah, I've been hitting a lot of fairways, and yeah, I played really well.
"[I feel] so-so [in general]. Sometimes it's getting a bit difficult this year. I'm not doing my best here but it's not over for us so I'm going to fight till the end. And for the rest, yeah, not so patient. As I said, you have to be patient. It's a bit frustrating when you know you can do it and you're not doing it. But that's golf.
Meanwhile, Ernie Els says he won't be on the lash tonight as he aims to stay in tip-top shape for the weekend challenge. Would never have stopped John Daly.
"[I'll celebrate my birthday] without any alcohol, you know, I'll have a bit of cake and go back to the hotel, have a shower, relax and see what we do for dinner tonight."
12:40pm
-9 Ernie Els
-7 Raphael Jacquelin, Wade Ormsby
-6 Lu Wei-chih, Jyoti Randhawa, Daan Huizing, Lee Slattery, Marcus Both, S.S.P. Chowrasia, Andrea Pavan
-5 5 players
Ernie Els reckons he's well in with a shout of taking home the trophy after his 65 today to lead at -9.
"It's a nice way to celebrate my birthday. 65 was what I needed to do," he said.
"The course is there for the taking, and I have a good chance."
12:20pm
-9 Ernie Els
-7 Raphael Jacquelin, Wade Ormsby
-6 Lu Wei-chih, Jyoti Randhawa, Daan Huizing, Lee Slattery, Marcus Both, S.S.P. Chowrasia, Andrea Pavan
-5 5 players
Ernie Els is walking back to the clubhouse as outright leader here after an excellent 65 that featured just one bogey. Reaction from him to come. Just the one bogey today, on the fourth, and birdies on 13, 14, 16, 17, 1 and 3 after he started on 11.
A few players are making moves a few shots back on -6, and there's a raft still contending on -5
The projected cut is -1
Meanwhile, here's some quotes from Nacho Elvira, the Spaniard who needs a good end to the season to hold on to his European Tour card. He shot one under after recovering from a poor start to lie at -5 going into round three. Four birdies on the back nine after two bogies and a double on the front.
"I'm happy I made a few birdies coming in," he said.
"I had an alarm call at 4.30am and don't think I woke up until about 7, on the 8th hole.
"After that it was a great day. I'm very happy, could have scored a bit better but I'm up there and excited to play the weekend."
11:55am
-9 Ernie Els
-7 Raphael Jacquelin, Wade Ormsby
-6 Lu Wei-chih, Jyoti Randhawa, Daan Huizing, Lee Slattery, Marcus Both, S.S.P. Chowrasia, Nacho Elvira
-5 5 players
Just been out on the course watching a bit of major winner Rich Beem, who's not having a great day (+8). Par for the course, pardon the pun, for him in the years since he held off Tiger Woods at Hazeltine in 2002
Meanwhile, Ernie Els had 5 birdies in his first nine (starting from No.11) to surge ahead. A bogey on No.4 has dropped him back to -9, but he remains the man to catch with five holes left in his round.
Raphael Jacquelin of France is going well too, three under for the day in a perfect round with five holes left, to lie at -7
One other moment of note from the early starters, 'Big Dolphin' Prom Meesawat firing in for a hole in one at the second.
9.45am
-8 Ernie Els
-7 Lu Wei-Chih
-6 Daan Huizing, Jyoti Randhawa, Jbe Kruger
Four-time major winner Ernie Els is tearing up the course at Fanling, adding four more birdies in nine holes to yesterday's round of four-under.
Taiwan's Lu Wei-chih is also moving well, with three birdies today.
Defending champ Miguel Angel Jimenez, two over after round one, starts at noon.
We're off on course for a bit, but will be back with live updates soon
Meanwhile, catch up on all our coverage here
