Trio Share Clubhouse Lead at JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC

    BEIJING, April 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Former champions Retief Goosen
 and Michael Campbell endured a marathon day to grab the second round clubhouse
 lead alongside in-form Peter Hanson at the US$2.35 million Johnnie Walker
 Classic, Asia's richest event, on Friday.
 
     (Photos:  http://xprnnews.xfn.info/JWGC/Day2/picture1.htm
               http://xprnnews.xfn.info/JWGC/Day2/picture2.htm
               http://xprnnews.xfn.info/JWGC/Day2/picture3.htm )
 
     On a day when the star-studded cast played catch-up at Pine Valley Golf
 Resort and Country Club following Thursday's disruptions because of high
 winds, the leading trio played 36 holes and finished atop the leaderboard on
 nine-under-par 135.
     Australian Adam Scott was also on nine-under, but played only eight holes
 this morning to finish off his first round with a course record 63.  The world
 number 10 produced a stunning finish of birdie, eagle, birdie, the last with a
 chip-in.  He is slated to start his second round on Saturday morning.
     Thailand's Chawalit Plaphol flew the Asian Tour's flag in the tri-
 sanctioned event with the European Tour and PGA Tour of Australia.  The
 smooth-swinging Chawalit cruised to eight-under for the tournament, one off
 the pace, but failed to finish his last hole of the second round when darkness
 descended.  Chinese Taipei's Chen Yuan-chi was a further stroke back through
 14 holes of his second round.
     Only 42 players completed two rounds with the remainder of the field
 having to return at 6.30am on Saturday to resume their rounds.
     Some of the other event's top stars sparkled, with world number eight
 Sergio Garcia of Spain finishing his first round with a 67 while South
 Africa's Ernie Els, the event's top draw, battled to a 71, finishing off his
 remaining nine holes in three under and then saying that the change in weather
 was ''just crazy.''
     Scotsman Colin Montgomerie shot a second round 70 to lie in tied seventh
 place with Thai Prayad Marksaeng and England's Miles Tunnicliff, who have two
 and four holes of their second rounds to play.  China's Zhang Lian-wei is tied
 19th after adding a 68 to his opening 73.
 
     Leading second round scores
     (Only 42 players have completed their two rounds.  The remainder of the
 field will return Saturday morning to resume their second rounds).
 
     135 - Retief Goosen (RSA) 68-67, Peter Hanson (SWE) 70-65, Michael
           Campbell (NZL) 70-65
     138 - Colin Montgomerie (SCO) 68-70
     140 - Scott Drummond (SCO) 69-71, Peter Lawrie (IRL) 69-71,
           Santiago Luna (ESP) 70-70
     141 - Barry Lane (ENG) 69-72, Adam Groom (AUS) 70-71,
           Richard Lee (NZL) 71-70, Trevor Immelman (RSA) 71-70,
           Marcus Fraser (AUS) 71-70, Zhang Lian-wei (CHN) 73-68
     146 - Nick Dougherty (ENG) 70-76, Marten Olander (SWE) 76-70
 
     The Johnnie Walker Classic is more than just a golf tournament.  Along
 with a week of official parties, Johnnie Walker will be raising money for the
 "Keep Walking" Thailand Tsunami fund and will be promoting messages
 encouraging people to drink in moderation.  This includes the 15th hole, on
 which the signage carries messages about responsible drinking.
 
     For further information, please contact Burson-Marsteller at:
 
      Holly Hu
      Tel:     +86-21-5403-2121 ext. 171
      Fax:     +86-21-5403-8589
      Mobile:  +86-13761683747
      Email:   holly_hu@sh.bm.com
 
 

SOURCE  JOHNNIE WALKER