- WGC-HSBC Champions, Round Two
Oosthuizen charges ahead at Mission Hills
ESPN staff
November 2, 2012
« Taylor reveals referee death threats
| BBC agrees deal to cover England in India »
In control: Louis Oosthuizen produced a couple of sublime bunker shots as he stormed ahead at the halfway stage
© PA Photos
Enlarge
WGC-HSBC Champions leaderboard
Louis Oosthuizen's fine run of form is showing no signs of abating as he took an iron grip on the WGC-HSBC Champions at the halfway stage.
The South African has two wins and a host of top-ten finishes under his belt in 2012 and he still has designs on overhauling Rory McIlroy in the Race to Dubai. A victory at Mission Hills will leave him well placed to achieve that and he is in pole position following a course-record round of 63.
Oosthuizen is sat on 16-under, five shots clear of a group featuring Adam Scott and Ernie Els.
It did not start on the correct path for the 2010 Open champion as he bogeyed the second. He hit back with birdies on three and five before his round gathered momentum towards the turn. He drained a 50-foot eagle putt at the seventh and followed that with a birdie from 30 feet at the next.
Further birdies followed at nine, ten and eleven as he powered ahead. A majestic 50-yard bunker shot at 15 set up another birdie which was followed by another gain at the 16th.
Oosthuizen began the day level with Scott and it was the Australian who made the early charge with birdies at four of his first seven holes. Bogeys at 12 and 13 checked his stride and he fell six behind at one stage, but birdies at 15 and 16 hauled him to within five of the leader.
Els, the current Open champion, raised hope of a fabled 59 when making birdies on seven of his first nine holes to turn in 29. The South African cooled down coming home but still signed for a 63 to climb into contention.
Phil Mickelson has looked good on his first outing since the Ryder Cup and he made two eagles in his round but he ended on a low note by making double-bogey on 18 after finding water with his approach - dropping him back to nine-under.
Shane Lowry and Jason Dufner are well placed at 10-under following rounds of 68 and 66 respectively.
Luke Donald carded his second 68 of the week to place himself in a cluster of players on eight-under, while Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Peter Hanson - the man closest to McIlroy in the Race to Dubai standings - are a shot further back.
© ESPN EMEA Ltd
