SHANGHAI — Justin Rose may need to overtake Lucas Bjerregaard again on Chinese soil if he is to seize pole position in the Race To Dubai after the Dane moved three shots clear at the BMW Masters Friday.
Bjerregaard, who was pipped by Rose to the Hong Kong Open title last month, carded a second successive 66 at Lake Malaren in Shanghai to move to 12-under for the $7 million event.
Rose, currently fifth in the European Tour standings, needs at least a second-place finish to go above Rory McIlroy at the top of the Race to Dubai with one event left, the DP Tour Championships next week.
But the English world No. 6 endured a difficult day in cold and windy conditions and stood still on five-under after a level-par 72, seven behind the leader with two rounds to go.
McIlroy is sitting out the BMW Masters, leaving last year’s European number one vulnerable at the top of the Race to Dubai standings.
Overnight leader Sergio Garcia started in great fashion and at one stage was sharing the lead with Bjerregaard after three birdies on his front nine.
But the Spanish world No. 11 went bogey-double bogey on 12 and 13 to drop back to eight-under par before clawing back a shot which left him with 71 and a share of second place on nine-under 135 with Thongchai Jaidee, who carded a 68.
Three players are tied for fourth place on eight-under — English duo Paul Casey (69) and Ian Poulter, who shot a second successive 68, plus South Korea’s An Byeong-Hun (71).
England’s Danny Willett lies second in the Race to Dubai and needs a sole 28th place finish or higher to overtake McIlroy.
After an indifferent 72 in the first round he went three shots better Friday and lifted himself into a tie for 28th.
Park grabs 1-shot lead
Park In-bee showed no signs of the hand injury that forced her to pull out of last week’s China event by shooting a 68 in the opening round of the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Mexico City.
South Korea’s Park withdrew from the Blue Bay tournament in Hainan Island because of pain in her left hand from a cyst. She shot four-under Thursday for a one-shot lead. Norway’s Suzann Pettersen, Angela Stanford and Australia’s Lee Min-jee are tied for second after carding 69s in the opening round.
Seven players are tied for fifth after opening with 71s: Sweden’s Pernilla Lindberg, Colombia’s Mariajo Uribe, Jaye Marie Green, Sydnee Michaels, Spain’s Azahara Munoz, South Korea’s Ryu So-Yeon and Mexican amateur Gaby Lopez.
Park got off to a strong start Thursday with birdies on four of her first five holes. She rolled in seven birdies and made bogey three times in her round.
Leonard shares lead
Former British Open champion Justin Leonard fired a six-under-par 65 to join a four-way tie for the lead after Thursday’s weather-interrupted opening round of the OHL Classic at Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.
Leonard shared the lead with Australian Aaron Baddeley, Shawn Stefani and Derek Fathauer.
Tied for second on 66 were former winner D.J. Trahan, Charles Howell III, Michael Thompson and Patton Kizzire. — Agencies
