Muda Makes his Move in Mercedes-Benz Masters
Shaifubari Muda made the most of playing on his home course today to take the halfway lead in the Mercedes-Benz Masters Malaysia at Saujana Golf and Country Club.
Muda, who has been the touring professional at Saujana for the past 10 years, carded a four-under-par 68 to lead the US$60,000 event on nine-under-par 135.
He lies one shot ahead of comeback king Lu Chien-soon from Taiwan who came in with the same score. Lu, aged 50, only started playing the game again this season following an eight year lay-off caused by back problems.
Joint first round leader S. Siva Chandran from Malaysia returned a 73 to fall five behind the leader.
Filipinos Mars Pucay and Antonio Lascuna are back after shooting rounds of 70 and 66 respectively.
The vastly experienced Muda had started the day sharing the lead with compatriot Chandran.
He made the turn in level par but then surged ahead with birdies on 10 and 11 and an eagle on the par-five 13th, where he hit a three wood to 18 feet. He dropped a shot on 14 but made up for that by making a birdie on 17.
“It does helping playing at Saujana but there is also more pressure playing at my home club. I have played on the Palm Course so many times. Today is my best score around this course in a tournament,” said Muda, who turned professional in 1996.
The 37 year old has not won since he triumphed in the 2005 Sime Darby Masters – which is one of his four victories in Malaysia.
Lu lost the Salcon Negri Masters in play-off against Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing on Sunday and is clearly out to make amends this week.
He shot a bogey free round made up of four birdies. The veteran is showing no signs of the injury which forced him to stop playing for so long and continues to show glimpses of the form which saw him win eight national Opens when he was a regular on the Asian Tour.
Malaysian Iain Steel and Lam are seven adrift. Steel came in with a 72 and Lam fired a 71.
Tomorrow will see a special Mercedes-Benz Tour Junior Clinic take place on the driving range. Nearly 60 juniors who have entered through the recent Mercedes-Benz Tour Roadshow in Kuala Lumpur and SportExcel programme will benefit from instruction from some of the Tour’s top players. The Junior Clinic will start at 3pm.
Leading second round scores:
Par 72
135 - Shaifubari Muda (MAS) 67-68
136 - Lu Chien-soon (TWN) 68-68
138 - Mars Pucay (PHI) 68-70, Antonio Lascuna (PHI) 72-66
139 – Steven Tan (MAS) 69-70
140 – Arie Fauzi (am) (MAS) 73-67, Marvin Dumandan (PHI) 68-72, S. Siva Chandran (MAS) 67-73
141 – Chawinroj Krobteeranon (THA) 71-70, Andik Mauluddin (INA) 73-68
142 – Iain Steel (MAS) 70-72, Lam Chih Bing (SIN) 71-71, Anis Helmi Hassan (MAS) 70-72
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