Ben Campbell moved into the second-round lead at US$1million Mercuries Taiwan Masters today on four-under after carding a three-under-par 69 – to be the only player to shoot two sub-par rounds.
American Jarin Todd (69) and Dodge Kemmer (72) and India’s Chikkarangappa S. (72) are one back at Taiwan Golf and Country Club, which once again posed a huge challenge, with the rough up and the fairways very tight – US Open style.
Related: Chikkarangappa shares opening day honours at Chinese Taipei
Scotland’s David Drysdale and Sadom Kaewkanjana from Thailand, also carded 72s, and are a further shot back – in what is the most lucrative golf tournament in Chinese-Taipei.
Campbell traded five birdies with two bogeys, and goes into the weekend looking for his first win on the Asian Tour.
“Played good at the start, dropped a couple in the middle, they were soft bogeys, unfortunately, which is easy to do out here,” said the New Zealander, who shone at this year’s New Zealand Open, coming home in a tie for second place.
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“I hit it close on a few and played the par fives well, which makes it easier. I kept the ball in play nicely off the tee. It was really windy at the start but the last few holes it died a bit which was a big help for me. It is playing firm and fast and coming out of the rough it is hard to hold the greens.
“My game is obviously improving but there is still a way to go. I feel like the last few weeks have been getting better and better. Feel like my game is trending in right direction.”
Kemmer made amends for a double bogey on his final hole yesterday which cost him the outright lead, with a solid round that has him well placed with two rounds to go.
Said Kemmer: “First time here. It is interesting, it is difficult. You have to get lucky in the rough, and the fairways are so tight, it’s hard to hit them. You can’t try and force it too much. Par is a good score. You must stay patient.”
He made four birdies – two of which were the result of getting up and down on par fives seven and 15 – and four bogeys.
“I didn’t make quite as many putts as yesterday. It made the bad holes better, like nine and 10 – made enough birdies to stay around par,” added Kemmer, who is currently in 104th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) and needs a strong finish to the year to keep his playing privileges for 2024.
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He is playing on the Asian Tour this year thanks to a card-securing top-10 finish on last season’s Asian Development Tour (ADT) OOM. He missed keeping his card by one place on last year’s Merit list before strong season-ending performances on the ADT salvaged his season.
Chikkarangappa’s scorecard was dominated with pars, with just a bogey on 10 and a birdie on 15.
“I putted really well. I was scrambling and the wind made things difficult. I kept making those clutch par putts,” said the player best known as ‘Chikka’.
Defending champion Chan Shih-chang from Chinese-Taipei carded a 75 and is even for the event, tied for 12.
