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.

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.

Rumford rumbles Qatar field to take halfway lead

Australian Brett Rumford fired a second round six-under par at Doha Golf Club to take the halfway lead at the Qatar Masters. Rumord leads by one from Wales’ Bradley Dredge with Oliver Wilson a further shot back in a tie for third place. Rumford, who carded six birdies in his opening ten holes finished with a 66 for a nine-under par total.

Wilson’s former boss, Lee Westwood is slowly getting to grips with new irons and carded a second round of 69 – Wilson once caddied for Westwood at a tournament. Wilson himself netted two late birdies in his bogey-free round of 70 and joined Westwood for a share of third place.

Dredge, who enjoyed the best of the conditions might feel a little aggrieved he didn’t take full advantage but still carded a three-under 69; two of his birdies came in the final three holes.

Robert Karlsson made the most progress of the second round with a two-under par 70 to take him to six-under par for the tournament and into a tie with Sweden’s Niclas Fasth, with Peter Hanson and dual-winner Charl Schwartzel a further shot behind.

Sergio Garcia and Paul Casey lie poised to strike just behind the leaders at four-under par but Henrik Stenson faces an uphill struggle if he is to challenge for the event, finishing at level-par after a round of 69.

One player who won’t be involved over the weekend is Abu Dhabi runner-up Ian Poulter who carded a level-par second round to miss the cut by one stroke.