Felipe Aguilar produced a stunning display of target golf to post a second round of eight under par 62 and take the lead at the halfway stage of the Enjoy Jakarta Astro Indonesia Open.
The Chilean peppered the flags at the Cengkareng Golf Club throughout his morning round to move two strokes clear of South Africa’s James Kamte and Thailand’s Prom Meesawat at the conclusion of the second round.
Aguilar, starting his round on the tenth tee, reached the turn in just 30 strokes to spark hopes of a magical 59, but his putting stroke could not match up to his majestic approach play. Still, he managed to come home in 32 to take the outright lead on 13 under par 127 with 36 holes to play.
“I don’t want to sound egotistical but if I had putted really well today I could have had 13 or 14 under for the round,” said Aguilar. “ I felt like I was throwing darts at the pins.
“I missed three of four two or three metre putts for birdie and didn’t birdie the par five ninth. That’s three or four shots right there, but I would take eight under every day – two more of those and I’ll have a chance.
“But at the same time, I know that there is still a long way to go. I have led tournaments by two or three shots before at the halfway stage and lost by five or six shots so there’s a long way to go.
“I won twice on the Challenge Tour last year and have won a lot of tournaments at home so that will help but they are all different. I just need to keep it going and try to enjoy it and have some fun out there. I do feel ready to win on The European Tour. I have the will and I have the game – I just need to wait for the right week. Hopefully it’s this one.”
Kamte and Meesawat – as well as fourth placedPrayad marksaeng of Thailand and Martin Wiegele of Austria on ten under – are all hoping that this is their week.
Kamte finished his rain delayed first round on Friday morning with three consecutive birdies before embarking on his second round 67. The South African, like Aguilar, is in total control of his long agme and is hoping to seal a maiden European Tour victory come Sunday afternoon.
“I’m hitting it where I want, which is vital around this course because it means you can use the slopes and get the ball running back towards the flag,” said Kamte.
“It also means that you don’t have too many down grain putts and you can leave yourself with uphill putts. So far I am playing well, but the main thing for me is to stay at this level. I have two more days left and anything can happen, but I am just looking forward to tomorrow.”
Meesawat hauled himself into contention with five consecutive birdies from the third hole, followed by another three on the spin from the ninth as he compiled a seven under par 63 to join Kamte on an 11 under aggregate of 129.
Meesawat was another of the leaders to go low during the second round, his seven under 63 pulling him alongside the 2007 European Tour Qualifying School winner Wiegele on ten under. Jeev Milkha Singh is lurking a further shot back on nine under 131.
While many of the leaders produced some wonderful shots over the course of the second round, the shot of the day has to go to Darren Clarke. The Northern Irishman has been striking the ball prodigiously in Indonesia, only to be let down by his putting.
The best solution to anyone’s putting woes? Stick the ball straight in the hole, just as Clarke did on the par three fourth hole, where he nailed a perfect nine iron into the bottom of the cup from 142 yards. That helped Clarke to a second round of three under 67 for a five under total.
