Scotland’s ultra-talented Russell Knox is again knocking on the door for a first victory after muscling his way into second place on the second day of the WGC – HSBC Champions event in Shanghai.
Kevin Kisner overcame a back injury to open up a two shot lead at the halfway stage of the World Golf Championships – HSBC Champions.
The American came into the second round one shot adrift of Branden Grace but a 66 on Friday saw him move to the top of the leader board at 14 under, two ahead of Knox.
Russell Knox again knocking on the door for victory. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)
Kisner and Knox had shared the lead in the latter stages at Sheshan International Golf Club but birdies on the 16th and 18th moved Kisner ahead as he looks for a first European Tour win at just the sixth attempt.
The 31 year old revealed after his opening 64 that he had been suffering from back pain but that did not seem to get in his way on Friday as he posted six birdies in a flawless round.
“It’s not like an injury where it’s going to get worse,” he said after his second round. “It’s just dealing with the pain, and it’s gotten better every day, so hopefully this weekend it will be perfect.”
Kisner picked up birdies on the second, sixth and seventh holes and, when he also birdied the eighth, a bogey from Grace on the 11th saw him move into the lead before seven straight pars followed.
During that time Knox joined him at the top as, after starting on the tenth and turning in 33, the 27 year old picked up further shots on the second, third, fifth and eighth to sign for a 65 and get to 12 under.
But Kisner’s impressive finish saw him move ahead and the South Carolina native, who has finished second on the US PGA Tour three times after play-offs in 2015, was delighted with his day’s work.
It’s beyond my expectations,” he said. “I had no expectations coming in so it’s been good.
“I’m making a lot of putts and that’s fun keeping the round going when I miss a green.
“I made a couple of long putts for par today to keep the no bogey streak going. I’m sure I’ll run into some problems sooner or later. I just hope I can keep holing those putts for par and keep the pedal down.
It’s going to take a lot more birdies this week to win and that’s my game plan. I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing and I’ll look up on the back nine on Sunday and see how we’re doing – Kevin Kisner
Grace opened with four pars but picked up a shot on the fifth for the second day in a row before a nice approach to the par five eighth left him five feet for his second birdie of the day.
Another followed on the tenth but a shot was dropped on the 11th – which allowed Kisner to move ahead – and, after scrambling an impressive par on the 14th, a second dropped shot of the day came on the 15th.
The South African came into the week 1,110,197 points behind Race to Dubai leader Rory McIlroy but is six shots clear of the Northern Irishman in Shanghai after the World Number Three posted a level par 72 containing four birdies and four bogeys.
World Number Two Jordan Spieth also signed for a 72 to sit alongside McIlroy at four under, although he needed a birdie on the last to secure it after a run of three bogeys from the 11th had threatened to derail his round.
Li Haotong and Patrick Reed were at nine under after contrasting finishes to their days.
The local favourite turned in 34 and further birdies on the third and fifth got him into double figures before a disappointing bogey on the ninth.
Reed had also got off to a good start with back-to-back birdies on the fifth and sixth but he dropped shots on the eighth and 15th before two birdies in three holes got him to nine under.
Three consecutive birdies from the 14th helped Bernd Wiesberger to a 66 and eight under alongside American duo Dustin Johnson and Hunter Mahan.
Mahan turned in level par but birdies on the tenth and 11th and an eagle on the 16th saw him sign for a 68 while Johnson finished birdie-birdie-birdie to rescue a 71.
Matthew Fitzpatrick had a strong finish as he picked up four shots in his last five holes to get to seven under alongside Louis Oosthuizen who also went round in 69 but finished with a double bogey after finding the water on the 18th.
Scott Hend was the third member of the group at seven under to record a 69 while Byeong-hun An was seven off the lead after a 68.
Harris English, Ross Fisher, Sergio Garcia, Tommy Fleetwood, Thorbjørn Olesen and Thomas Pieters were then in the group at six under.
Danny Willett, McIlroy’s nearest challenger in The Race to Dubai, was five under after two double bogeys on the back nine contributed to a two over par 74.
- Thanks to www.europeantour.com
