MELBOURNE: New Zealand’s Kazuma Kobori shot an eight-under-par 63 in the second round of the Australian PGA Championship on Friday to take sole lead of the DP World Tour’s season opener at Royal Queensland, while local hero Cameron Smith missed the cut.
Kobori, who had a hole-in-one on a rain-hit first day, came up with a brilliant round of nine birdies that included four on the trot with a single bogey to go 10-under overall and lead a trio of challengers by a stroke.
“I’m happy for the most part,” Japanese-born Kobori said.
“Yesterday was a bit frustrating. I had a hole-in-one but didn’t do much a part from that, but I made up for that today which was good.
“The wind dropped off nicely so I knew coming in 15, 16 and 17 were quite good opportunities, because I knew I had wedges in my hands so I hit a few close and was able to birdie 18 as well which was a nice bonus.”
DING, QUAYLE AND RANKIN IN CHASING PACK
The chasing pack behind the 24-year-old Kobori included China‘s Ding Wenyi (66) and Australians Anthony Quayle (66) and Brett Rankin (69), who were all on nine-under for the tournament in a share of second place.
Three-times champion Smith had a shocker of a day with the putter and carded a four-over 75 to miss his seventh straight cut. It was the second time in three years at the tournament that he was thwarted at the halfway stage.
The 2022 British Open champion said he never saw his woeful round coming.
“If you told me that was going to happen this morning, when I was warming up, I’d have told you otherwise,” a dejected Smith said.
“I don’t know, I just don’t know. I’m so confused. I was feeling good, really confident and just couldn’t get anything going. It was weird. I was in between clubs a lot today.
“I hit a couple of bad shots that I’d have liked to have again. Drove the ball well … hit a lot of nice shots. Tough lies killed me today … and then couldn’t get up and down,” added Smith, who missed the cut at all four major tournaments this year.
Rankin had emerged as the surprise clubhouse leader at the halfway mark after having to complete his first round earlier in the day due to poor weather on Thursday.
Min Woo Lee, the 2023 champion, was joint-fifth in a group of four before play was suspended due to poor light with several players yet to complete the round.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
