Irish trio cut in Japan
Grant Forrest. Picture: Getty Images
Irish trio Gary Hurley, Tom McKibbin and Brendan Lawlor missed the cut as Grant Forrest shot the low round of the week to join Lucas Herbert and Jazz Janewattananond in a share of the lead at the ISPS HANDA-CHAMPIONSHIP in Japan.
Hurley dropped three shots on his last two holes, finishing double-bogey, bogey at the eighth and ninth as he carded a five-over 75 to miss the two-under par cut by four strokes.
McKibbin finished a shot further back after a rollercoaster 72 featuring six birdies, six bogeys and a double-bogey while Lawlor, the world's second-ranked disability golf, shot 77 to finish on 18-over.
Scotland's Forrest drained a monster birdie putt at the eighth - his penultimate hole - before making a closing birdie from around ten feet to sign for a 62 and join early starters Janewattananond and Herbert in the lead on 10-under at PGM Ishioka Golf Club.
"I didn't realise where I was until the last green and I thought, 'Oh, this is for a 62'," Forrest said. "Just plugged away all day. Got the putter going, I didn't really hole any putts yesterday but managed to roll in a few. Got one in on the eighth, our 17th, from a long way. Other than that, just pretty solid.
"The weather wasn't great at home the past month (with no events), but we did what we could, just tried to keep playing as much as I could at home and keep everything ticking over.”
Thailand's Janewattananond also finished in style, making five birdies over the last seven holes, including three in a row from the 16th, in a 63.
"It was amazing (closing with three birdies)," the Thai said. "It was slow at the start and then it built up and had a really good finish. I'm feeling good, feeling comfortable on the golf course, not so tense."
Former Irish Open winner Herbert, whose arrival into Japan was delayed by travel issues, made nine birdies in his 63.
"It was a bit of a travel debacle getting here," the Australian said. "It might have been a bit of a blessing in disguise. Out on the course you can just commit to a shot a bit easier and not know what is left or right.
"You don't have the same memories from hitting bad shots in the practice round or knowing where the bad places are. Just stand up, look at a target, and hit it.
"Nick, my caddie, got here when he should have and did all the work for me. That speaks a lot to why we are ten under through 36 holes."
Germany's Maximilian Kieffer was in solo fourth, one shot behind the leaders on nine under after his 65, while Takumi Kanaya was the leading Japanese player on eight under alongside England's Jordan Smith and South African Deon Germishuys.
Four-time Major champion Ernie Els (53) put on a show over the closing stretch, following a birdie on the 15th by holing his bunker shot for an eagle on the 16th to reach four under and safely make the cut in 39th on four-under.
The South African legend’s eagle at the 16th helped the ISPS HANDA Eagle Pledge tally, with $1,000 donated to the G4D Tour for every eagle made this week.
"It was a grind in the end," Els said. "I knew it would be, so I had to get off to a good start, which I did. I was two under through five.
"The putter went a bit cold, missed a short one on seven for birdie. That kept in my head all day, didn't quite get my speed right. But I just tried to keep at it.
"I felt my rhythm was a lot better today on my full swings. And the putter feels OK just need to get the pace right. The finish did it for me. I needed a big finish, I wanted to be here for the weekend, so it's nice."
