Asian golfers shine at Volvo Matchplay
Asian golfers shine at Volvo Matchplay
JAKARTA (JP): China's number one golfer Zhang Lian-wei
justified his billing yesterday as the number one player in Asia
at the Emeralda Golf and Country Club after charging through to
the semifinals of the Volvo Asian Matchplay.
The 29-year-old Chinese, playing faultless golf, defeated the
defending champion Jeev Milkha Singh of India in the afternoon's
quarterfinals 4 and 2 after disposing of South African Richard
Kaplan 2 and 1 in the second round in the morning.
South Korea's Kang Kwok-soon, winner of this year's Omega
Order of Merit, put himself in position to cap off a brilliant
year by beating Robert Stephens of Australia 2 and 1 in the
quarterfinals following a second round defeat of American John
Kernohan on the 20th hole. Kang will square up against Thailand's
Prayad Marksaeng in the semifinals.
Marksaeng finished off the two Scots in the tournament, first
beating Kenny Walker in the second round on the 21st hole and
then John Wither two and one.
Zhang now faces Thailand's Thaworn Wiratchant over 36 holes in
today's semifinals. Thaworn, winner of the opening event on this
year's Omega Tour, the Sabah Masters, knocked out Indonesia's
Maan Nasim 5 and 3 in the quarterfinals.
"My feet suddenly started hurting and I could not move when
teeing-off on the second hole which caused a 30-minute delay.
I've never played 36 holes like today," he complained.
"But it wouldn't make me give up. I can still got points on
hole five," he added.
An eagle on the 571-yard par-five 12th powered Thaworn to
victory. The three put him three up in his match before par fours
on 14 and 15 were good enough for wins to secure the match.
Earlier on in the day Thaworn made it through against the
American Rob Moss 4 and 3.
In the Hugo Boss Foursomes, a tournament run in parallel with
the main matchplay event to cater for those players knocked out
after each round, Kernohan and Australian Paul Foley will face
Thailand Thammanoon Sriroj and Boonchu today while Australians
Jeff Wagner and Glenn Joyner will compete against South African
Craig Kamps and Korea's Choi Kyung-ju. Singh and Wither will play
against Nasim and Stephens. (rsl)