Australia’s Kulacz shoots 63 for Abu Dhabi lead
January 22, 2010
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP)—Rick Kulacz of Australia took the lead inthe Abu Dhabi Championship on Friday after he shot a 9-under 63 to reach12-under after two rounds.
That gave the 24-year-old Perth native, starting his rookie year with aEuropean Tour card, a one-stroke advantage over a trio of players in secondplace that includes Sergio Garcia.
Kulacz shot 11 birdies and two bogeys and fell one shot short of equalingthe Abu Dhabi Golf Club course record set by the Swedish Ryder Cup player HenrikStenson four years ago.
Kulacz played late on the second day after a strong lunchtime breeze thathad been blowing in off the Arabian Gulf subsided.
The late calm confirmed the view of Garcia, who also played in mild earlymorning conditions, that the shifting local weather could have an impact on whoeventually wins the $390,000 winner?s cheque.
Garcia who shot a 67 said it was no coincidence that he, Ireland?s ShaneLowry and Sweden’s Peter Hanson, who all reached 11-under, did so afterreceiving early morning start times.
Players blown into the thick rough at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club by the windwere also trying to cope with new clubs that comply with the recent grooveregulation changes of both the European and PGA Tours.
“The weather really helped me because in the morning it was pretty calm.And playing on firm greens it is pretty hard getting fliers out of the roughwith new grooves.”
Garcia still feels pain from a right hand injury sustained at the DubaiWorld Championship in November and receives daily ultrasound treatment.
“With the hand problem and bad weather at home I have not been able topractice as much as I would have liked, so getting into the lead has exceeded myexpectations here,” said the Spaniard before Kulacz overtook him at the top ofthe leaderboard.
“I feel I have played nicely but there were shots where I could have been abit more positive. But when you have been unable to practice as much as you wantdoubts do creep in.”
The injury did not prevent Garcia from making six birdies and only one bogeyin his round, while Lowry had seven birdies in his.
Until Kulacz made his late run playing in the second last group of the day,Lowry was enjoying his first appearance at the top of a European leaderboardsince turning professional after his victory, as an amateur, in the Irish Openlast May.
The highest-profile victim of the windy conditions—and the new grooveregulations—was England?s Lee Westwood, who on his last visit to the Arabiandesert won the Dubai World Championship to reach the No. 4 ranking.
He missed the cut after shooting a 78 for 3-over and complained about havingto start the year using new clubs.
“What a time to have to change your clubs when you are playing your bestgolf ,” he said. “I need to do some work with my irons. I don?t know whetherthey have put the wrong shafts in them or whatever. They just don?t feel right,they don?t feel the same. They feel like fishing rods.”
One of the three first-round leaders, England’s Ian Poulter, was unable torepeat his 7-under start. He had a round of 70 and was three shots off the lead.
Italy’s Francesco Molinari had a hole-in-one at the 174-yard fourth holewith his 7-iron tee shot.
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