Westwood survives cut in South Korea
Lee Westwood is on level par
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Friday, 24, Apr 2009 09:31
Lee Westwood was among the big names who struggled in treacherous conditions at the halfway stage of the Ballantine's Championship in South Korea.
Westwood (73) and former Masters winner Fred Couples (76) only just made the cut, while defending champion Graeme McDowell crashed out after a round of four-over par.
Robert-Jan Derksen, 35, braved the conditions to card 69 to lead by two strokes on Jeju Island. The Dutchman lies on nine-under, to stay ahead of Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee (71) and South Korea's Kang Wook-
Soon (69).
Derksen, a two-time winner on the Tour, said: "It was a difficult day. It didn't start too difficult.
"I would say the first eight holes were okay. It wasn't that windy. But then it picked up from 18 until my ninth. It was tough."
Last week's Volvo China Open runner-up Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, who shared the overnight lead, was among a group on five-under after going round in 74.
Three-time major winner Ernie Els is two-under for the tournament. The South African said it was a nightmare playing on the mountainside course.
"It's windy, cold. (It was) a good test of golf today. I had a tough time out there," he said.
"(I played) just horrible on the greens today. I left about four or five shots out there on the greens. It was difficult keeping your balance, basically."
Strong winds and chilly temperatures are forecast for Saturday at the Ballantine's Championship.