Ben Campbell’s defence of his US$2 million Link Hong Kong Open title continues to go according to plan after he took the halfway lead at the Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling.
The Kiwi fired a five-under-par 65 to top the leaderboard on 12-under by one from first-round leader Nitithorn Thippong from Thailand.
Nitithorn backed up his opening day 62 with a 67 and is two ahead of a trio of players in third place: Korean Yongjun Bae (62), Kevin Yuan (68) from Australia, and Japan’s Kazuki Higa (68).
Hong Kong’s number one Taichi Kho did what everyone was hoping for and made his move carding a 65 and is in a group players one stroke back.
Campbell appears to be in his comfort zone on the Fanling course, making four birdies on the back nine, one on the front and zero bogeys.
“I just think it's a course where, you know, I'm not the longest hitter, so it's good that you just got to sort of plot your way around and just be patient I think,” said the 33-year-old, who is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour having also won this year’s International Series Morocco.
“I hit a lot of shots to sort of 10-15 feet today, and sort of just played patient. I didn't fire at a few flags when I wasn't quite in position and then rolled in a couple of 15 footers. So, yeah, I think it's just all about being patient around here and sort of not trying to overpower the golf course.”
Nitithorn, a three-time winner on the Asian Tour trying to make amends for a poor season, courageously bounced back from a bogey-ridden start.
Having started on the back nine he bogeyed three holes in a row from the 14th, suggesting another disappointing day on the golf course was ahead. But he was able to respond in the correct manner by making a birdie on 17 and then three on the trot from the third.
He explained that a new relaxed approach is helping him to stay on track.
“Actually, I didn't think about it that much,” said the 28-year-old, about mis-firing early on.
“I mean, I feel like I really flowed today, and didn't think about if I made a bogey, but just let it go. And it's good that I have Sebastian, my caddie with me too, so he made me really have fun on the course and didn't think about it.”
He was helped by chipping in for birdie on the fifth, about which he said: “I just pictured that shot chipped it and it went in.”
Nitithorn has been one of the Asian Tour’s rising stars over the past few season. His first win came at The DGC Open presented by Mastercard in 2022, and he triumphed again that year at the International Series Singapore. He also claimed the Mandiri Indonesia Open last year.
Kho is exactly where he wants to be heading into the weekend, on the shoulder of the leaders.
“I thought today was a really solid round out there,” said Kho.
“I feel like I was able to capitalize on a lot of looks that I had that I quite didn’t do yesterday. I feel like I was able to really get going in my round from the first hole, and I was proud of how I was able to be in the right state of mind and being zoned in from the get-go. So, I'm happy about myself about that, and hopefully I sharpen up a couple things tomorrow, and yeah, we'll get going.”
It's been a good two days work for a player who has been out of action for close to two months with a back injury.
He added: "My back has felt a lot better this week. It felt pretty good last week, and this week is progressing really nicely. So, lots of props to my team for getting me out here again, and yeah, it's almost a surprise to me that my body is feeling so good. So, I'll just continue to do what I've been doing, and hopefully I'll get back to 100% really soon.”
A history-making winner here last year at the World City Championship, when he became the first golfer from Hong Kong to win on the Asian Tour, he is now trying to become the first from the territory to claim the Link Hong Kong Open.
England’s Justin Rose carded a 66 and is five under, while American John Catlin, leader of both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings, surprisingly missed the cut.
Catlin returned a 68 and finished one over with the cut made at two under.
Two events remain this year, next week’s International Series Qatar, followed immediately by the PIF Saudi International presented by SoftBank Investment Advisers where the American needs to steady the ship if he is to remain on top.
“I’ll go and work on some things and tidy some things up,” said Catlin.
“It is all in a lifetime, sometimes you make a few mistakes, and you learn from them, and you move on. I’ve still got plenty to play for. I know where I want to be and I know what I have to do and do it, it’s all about going out there and doing it.”
