Saturday, November 24, 2007
Boo Weekley and Heath
Slocum are holding a
one-shot lead.
SHENZHEN, China (AP) — Police officers salute as players approach the tee. Fans jostle for space when silence is supposed to be in order. Golf carts buzz everywhere, cell phones ring and nobody is shy with a camera.
Welcome to golf, Chinese style.
“I mean, don’t know if the Chinese crowd understands,” said Boo Weekley, who shot a 3-under 69 Friday with partner Heath Slocum to keep a one-stroke lead for the United States after two rounds of the World Cup of Golf. “There’s a lot of movement out there, a lot of talking.”
England’s Justin Rose and Ian Poulter and Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie and Marc Warren shot 68s to trail by a shot at 13-under 131.
South Africa’s Trevor Immelman and Retief Goosen were another shot back after a 69. Three teams were three behind — Denmark (68), Italy (68) and Germany (71) — and 18 teams were within eight shots of the lead.
Playing the more difficult foursomes (alternate-shot) format, scores soared after the easier fourballs (better-ball) on Thursday. Better-ball returns Saturday and alternate-shot features on Sunday. Though this is a stroke-play event, match-play rules are in play.
Weekley praised the enthusiasm of the Chinese, who have almost no golf tradition.
“They clap when you hit a good shot and they always say ’hey’ and ’hi,”’ he added. “But it’s just different.”
This is the first year in a 12-year contract to play this unusual team event at the Mission Hills Golf Club, the world’s largest golf complex with 12 courses spread over 5.8 square miles just a few minutes drive from Hong Kong.
The permanent home and Omega sponsorship may help the event draw a top field. This year, Rose and Poulter are the only players ranked in the top 20.
Weekley — a Floridian who takes his nickname from the cartoon character Boo Boo Bear — got his invitation only after 13 other Americans ranked ahead of him declined. He picked Slocum, his high-school chum.
The tournament is set on the Olazabal Course, designed by the two-time Masters winner. The rolling layout, gouged out of rugged hills and lush, tropical vegetation feels familiar. So are the grainy Bermuda greens.
“They are fairly similar to where Boo and I grew up,” Slocum said.