Day 2 – Morning Tee-off’

Prom Meesawat (THA) is toughing it out at SOLAIRE PHILIPPINE OPEN. A shaky start with a bogie on his second hole at 11 which received the perfect response and was immediately rectified with a birdie at 12^th and another at 14 but took an extra shot at the difficult 16^th.  He dropped another at the 2^nd but birdied the 7^th and had a disappointing end with a dropped shot at the ninth which gave him a birdie on the first day. This keeps him one over par for the day and one under for the tournament with a delicate hold at the top of the leaderboard. He said ‘if you play a bad shot and let your confidence slip the course will take advantage’.

One of the golfers to improve was Miguel Tabuena (PHL) who claimed second last year. Beginning the day with a Birdie at the 10^th kept the confidence high and he took a further shot off at the 14^th. A dropped shot on the 16^th was replaced at the 17^th but after the turn he must have had a few anxious thoughts. He had a disappointing start on the front nine with bogies at each of the first three holes but settled himself by the 8^th and a couple more birdies before a dropped shot at his last kept him at 1 over for the tournament. He said ‘I plan to do one better than my second place last year’.

Kim TaeHoon (KOR) had a good start on his second hole but within two holes had dropped a double at the 13^th. The front nine and his return trip to the clubhouse he traded bogies and birdies on six holes to finish 3 over. He told me he struggled to find the fairway all day.

The unanimous verdict was again how unforgiving the course is but maybe surprisingly they all seem to love the course!

Stephen Leyton had one of those rounds at 6 over, 5 over for the championship but it may be Mardan Mamat who is ruing too many missed shots with a 10 over par. This course is taking no prisoners and demands the best. Stephen and Mardan are now awaiting details of the cut which after the morning session is difficult to even guess.

Another good round came from Andrew Campbell who is sitting safely for the third round tomorrow and was the only player under par in the morning tee-offs.