Jiminez, Rumford tie Ballantine’s lead as weather interrupts play

Miguel Angel Jiminez drew level with Brett Rumford at 10-under par during the third round of the Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea, but the round was interrupted by heavy downpours of rain and a thunder and lightning warning that forced the abandonment of the remainder of the day’s play.

Australian player Rumford had started the day three shots clear but while he could only muster an outward half of level-par 36, Ryder Cup player Jiminez carded three birdies to turn in 33 and share the lead.

The pair are two clear of a group of seven players which includes Wales’ Rhys Davies, United States’ Dustin Johnson, Swedish pair Rickard Karlberg and Alex Noren, Dane Soren Kjeldsen, India’s Shiv Kapur and South Korean Dae-hyun Kim.

World number one Lee Westwood needs to finish no worse than fifth this week to keep top spot and was 2-under par through 12 holes to reach 6-under par overall, but had pulled his tee-shot at the par-3 13th hole well to the left and atop a steep bank seconds before the warning claxon was sounded to bring play to a halt.

Westwood shares 6-under and T11 with Ireland’s Shane Lowry who was 4-under par with one to play.

Westwood’s fellow tipster pick, Dutchman Robert Jan-Derksen was also making progress through the field and was 2-under par through 16 holes to move into a share of 14th place on 4-under; while Thongchai Jaidee was struggling, reaching the turn in 2-over par 38 to drop to 3-over par overall through nine holes.

Watson maintains Zurich Classic lead

Bubba Watson maintained his lead at the Zurich Classic, but might have been looking up at the lead rather than looking down if Josh Teater hadn’t double-bogeyed his final hole.

Watson’s 4-under par round of 68 moved him to 10-under par 134, but Teater was threatening to usurp Watson’s lead, and had reached 11-under par through 14 holes. However, Teater found sand on the 18th hole, and after going through the green with his recovery eventually finished with a double-bogey to drop back to 9-under and leave Watson in the lead on his own.

Journeyman pro John Rollins was in third place after a round of 69 moved him to 8-under par, while tipster pick Jason Dufner shot the same score to take a share of fourth place on 7-under par, alongside Australians John Senden and Matt Jones, and American duo Webb Simpson and Dean Wilson.

Tommy Gainey maintained his fine recent form to find himself in contention again. After narrowly missing out on The Heritage, Gainey closed with a round of 71 to finish at halfway on 6-under par, alongside Steve Stricker and David Mathis with Heritage runner-up Luke Donald in a group one shot further back on 5-under par.

David Toms and Jeff Overton ensured the YourGolfTravel tipster would have all three representatives involved in the weekend; Toms shot a second round 71 to move to 3-under par, while Overton shot a round of 70 for a 1-under par halfway total.

Defending champion, Jason Bohn shot a second successive 71 to close on 2-under par and make it into the weekend.

However, despite a second round 69 Heritage winner Brandt Snedeker will take the weekend off after failing to make the cut. Snedeker’s task was made all the harder by a 5-over par first round 77, and the deficit was too much to make up; Snedeker missing the cut by 3 shots.

Also missing the cut is David Duval, who despite shooting 5-under in his first round slumped to a second round 79 to also miss out by three. Graeme McDowell will also be watching the weekend’s play on TV after rounds of 73-75 saw him close on the wrong side of the cut; as will Justin Rose who shot rounds of 77-74.

Brett Rumford takes half-way Ballantine’s lead

A 9-under par round of 63 moved Australian Brett Rumford into a commanding lead at the halfway stage of the Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea.

Starting the day 1-over par, and battling to make the weekend Rumford recorded four birdies in his outward nine holes before adding another five birdies without any dropped shots to come home in 31.

Rumford, who finished runner up in this event last year, leads by three shots from Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen and Spanish Ryder Cup star, Miguel Angel Jiminez who carded rounds of 66 and 67 respectively to close on 7-under par.

Overnight leader Damien McGrane could only muster a level-par round of 72 but claimed a share of fourth place on 6-under par alongside Wales’ Rhys Davies and England’s James Morrison, who shot rounds of 68 and 69 respectively.

American Dustin Johnson ensured he’d be around for the weekend with a 3-under par 69. Johnson did all his scoring on his outward nine holes, carding four birdies and a bogey to turn in 33, before coming home in level par 36 and a share of 7th place alongside home player Sang-hyun Park, Englands Richard Finch and Swede Alex Noren.

Finch in particular will be livid with his level par round of 72. Starting from the 10th, Finch turned in 31 to move to 10-under par and tournament leader, but twice found water on his inward nine holes to come home in 41 shots and back where he started the day on 5-under par.

Some uncharacteristic unforced errors by world number one Lee Westwood saw him further back than his round had promised, but he still managed a 4-under par 68 to move into a share of 11th after his opening 72.

Westwood, who needs to finish in the top five to stop Germany’s Martin Kaymer replacing him at the top of the Official Golf World Rankings, admitted he was struggling with his putter.

“I played nicely, the same as yesterday, hit the ball nicely but didn’t really make any putts. The greens are tough to figure out,” he said.

Dutchman Robert Jan-Derksen and Thai Thongchai Jaidee, alongside Westwood make up the tipster three-ball. Derksen shot a 3-under par 69 to move to 2-under par and safely into the weekend. Jaidee also made the weekend, but scraped in on 1-over par following a level par 72.

Despite an eagle on the last, Ian Poulter is amongst the big names who won’t be around for the weekend. Poulter had given himself every chance of making the cut, but after a bogey on the 14th hole, he found water on the par-5 15th and the ensuing double-bogey effectively ended any hopes the Englishman might have held of making the cut.

It was also a disappointing afternoon for three-time Major-winner Ernie Els, who failed to make up for a poor first round; picking up three bogeys in his second round to finish two over par, a shot off the cut.

Watson, Jones share first round Zurich Classic lead

Bubba Watson and Australian Matt Jones share the lead after the first round of the Zurich Classic at TPC Louisiana, New Orleans. Watson, who has been largely out of sorts since winning the Farmers Insurance Open back in January produced a 6-under par round of 66 which saw the big-hitting left hander card six birdies and an eagle, as well as two bogeys.

Jones meanwhile didn’t find an eagle, but managed eight birdies and two bogeys, as the pair took a one shot lead into the second round. Jones chipped in from 57 feet for a birdie on his final hole to join Watson for the lead.

Watson and Jones played in the afternoon in better scoring conditions after a strong north wind made morning play more difficult, and they lead American quartet Joe Durant, David Duval, John Rollins and Tommy Gainey; as well as Australian Nick O’Hearn and Swede Carl Pettersson who each carded 5-under par rounds of 67. O’Hearn and Duval were both bogey-free for their rounds.

Luke Donald, who lost out last week in a play-off for The Heritage and the chance to become world number one, shrugged off the disappointment to shoot a bogey-free opening round of 68 and join tipster pick Jason Dufner, South Korea’s KJ Choi and Dufner’s fellow American Charles Howell III in a share of 9th place on 4-under par.

Dufner, meanwhile, turned in level par 36 but carded back-to-back birdies on the 10th and 11th holes, before adding further gains at the 13th and 18th holes to move up the leaderboard.

David Toms and Jeff Overton make up the remainder of the tipster’s three-ball and shot rounds of 70 and 73 respectively, while last week’s Heritage winner Brandt Snedeker slumped to a 5-over par 77.

Golf in London – where to play near the Capital

One of the best things about playing golf is the fact that it takes you away from the stresses and strains of everyday life and offers the chance to enjoy the outdoors whether it be with a group of friends or on your own when you can really enjoy a bit of ‘me time’. Most courses are nestled away in the countryside, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. However there are exceptions to the rule and it is possible to find outstanding and beautiful courses in and around big cities that offer the same sense of peace and seclusion. Here five of the best courses to stay and play in and around the city of London. Read more

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