Westwood unchallenged in Malaysia

April 18, 2014: Lee Westwood extended his fine form to retain four shot lead in Maybank Malaysian Open on Friday by adding a 66 to his opening 65 in Kuala Lumpur.

Westwood posted a 13 under par halfway total of 131, four shots ahead of Ryder Cup team-mate Nicolas Colsaerts and Antonio Lascuna of the Philippines.

Meanwhile on the Indian front, Rahil Gangjee struck a fine 68 on Friday to climb to 25th place on the leaderboard. Seasoned SSP Chowrasia added 70 on day two to surge to 18th position as best placed Indian in the tournament. Rashid Khan, Anirban Lahiri and Chirag Kumar are tied 47th with two round total 144. Shiv Kapur narrowly managed to make halfway cut after carding three under 69 to add to his opening round score of 76.

[highlight]  I have always played well in Asia, my strike rate is really good. It must be the heat or rice or something, I can’t put my finger on it [/highlight]

A series of superb iron shots helped Westwood fire eight birdies from close range, with the only blemish a double bogey on the par three 11th, where his tee shot found water short of the green.

“I played well,” Westwood said. “On the front nine I shot five under [for the second day running] and I think the longest putt I holed was from four feet on the first. It was solid stuff.

Former World Number One Westwood is currently ranked 36th after struggling to find top form, but feels the work undertaken with new coach Mike Walker is paying off.

“I have always played well in Asia, my strike rate is really good. It must be the heat or rice or something, I can’t put my finger on it.”

Colsaerts had been within a shot of Westwood after playing the front nine in 32, but could only manage eight pars and a bogey on the back nine to shoot a 69 and match the total of World Number 327 Lascuna, who had set the early clubhouse target after a 65.

England’s Danny Willett was eight under after a 66, with compatriot Andy Sullivan and France’s Julien Quesne another shot back following rounds of 67 and 69 respectively.

Other Indians Jyoti Randhawa, Jeev Milkha Singh, Arjun Atwal, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Digvijay Singh and Himmat Rai are likely to miss cut after disappointing foray in Kuala Lumpur.