Brithday Boy Ernie Els Celebrates Taking Lead In Hong Kong Open.

Birthday boy Ernie Els celebrated his 45th birthday by seizing a two shot lead at the halfway stage of the Hong Kong Open.

A second round 65 in suburban Fanling took the South African to nine under par, two shots ahead of Frenchman Raphaël Jacquelin and Australian pair Scott Hend and Cameron Smith.

“I played quite nicely and 65 is what I needed to do,” said Els. “I’m looking forward to the rest of the week and obviously in a good position.

“I won’t have any alcohol to celebrate, but I’ll have a bit of cake and relax back at the hotel and see what we do for dinner tonight.”

Ernie Els turns 45 taking lead in 2014 HK Open

Birthday boy Ernie Els celebrates his 45th birthday taking the lead after two rounds of the Hong Kong Open. (Photo – Thos Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)

Four-time Major winner Els started the day two behind Jyoti Randhawa, but swiftly took the lead with four birdies in five holes from the 13th after starting his round at the 11th.

The South African then fired a superb approach to the first to set up another gain, and picked up his sixth shot of the day after getting up-and-down from in front of the third green.

However, there were no further birdies, and Els dropped his only shot of the day at the fourth after hitting his tee shot into trees down the right and only managing to find bunker with his second.

“When I’m on I’m really playing nicely,” added Els. “I lost my concentration a little bit after the fourth hole so I didn’t quite play as well as I did at the beginning of the round – I’d like to improve on that.

“But I feel really good about my ball striking and I’m putting nicely.”

Jacquelin went round in a 67 that featured a tap-in birdie at the second, where his playing partner Prom Meesawat produced a hole-in-one.

“I’ve been playing really well this week and there are birdie opportunities if you keep the ball in play,” said Jacquelin, who at 75th on The Race to Dubai is looking to climb into the top 60 before the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai next month.

“It makes a really big difference to be on the fairway because you can get some short irons into the green.”

Smith matched Els’ 65, while compatriot Hend looks likely to take the scrap for his European Tour future to the wire following a 66.

The 41 year old is 149th on The Race to Dubai, with only the top 110 after next week’s ISPS HANDA Perth International retaining their cards for next season.

No fewer than 11 players are tied for fifth on six under, including SSP Chowrasia, Lee Slattery, Daan Huizing and Marcus Fraser, all of whom are currently outside the top 110.

Randhawa remained six under with a level par 70, while the same score saw defending champion Miguel Angel Jiménez miss the cut on two over. It was a disappointing exit for Jimenez who has won the event five times and last year breaking his own record as the oldest-ever European Tour winner.


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