Well, I have achieved my first goal of making the cut in my first event of the year at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in the $5 million PIF Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers on the Asian Tour. This will be my first cheque of 2023.
I shot a second round one over par 71 to go along with my first round 67 and a two under total of 138 and stand in tied 39th place. I am in good company alongside the likes of Ian Poulter (Eng) and Henrik Stenson (Swe).
Notables to miss the cut, which came at level par 140, included: Asian Tour Order of Merit champion in 2022 Sihwan Kim (US) along with major champions and marquee players: Phil Mickelson (US), Cameron Smith (Aus) and Bryson DeChambeau (US). It just illustrates the standard of play these days on the Asian Tour.
I started on hole 10 and my statistics were not as good as yesterday and this usually reflects in the score.
I had a promising back nine of one under par 34, began with a couple of early bogeys but recovered with three birdies in a row from the 14th tee.
I then missed a few greens and dropped shots in holes 1, 2, and 6, before a decent finish of birdie – par – par on 7, 8 and 9.
In the last hour of my round, being a late starter, the wind really got up, which made it tricky.
Six of 14 fairways hit is not a number I am proud of, but you always have to be working on something, the game is not supposed to be easy.
I felt I played the tough holes well, but not the easier holes and perhaps gave away a couple of soft bogeys, but that is the game when tournaments are four rounds over 72 holes.
I put my round today down to some rustiness, given I have been out of competitive golf for such a long time, October 2nd in Taiwan was my last round on the Asian Tour.
All things considered it was a good fighting round.
Mexican Abraham Ancer, continues to lead with a 66 to follow his first round of 63 on 11 under par.
A shot behind is Cameron Young (US) on 10 under after two 65’s.
