Arimura holds lead in Singapore golf

SINGAPORE (AFP) - – Japan's Chie Arimura maintained her clubhouse lead Friday at the HSBC Women's Golf tournament in Singapore, firing a six-under par 66 to hold a two-stroke advantage over Australia's Karrie Webb.

The 23-year-old Japanese, ranked 19th in the world and playing in her first event of the year, overcame a rough start to the second round where she bogeyed the first hole followed by a birdie and another bogey.

She soon steadied the ship with an eagle on the fifth and followed up with five more birdies to reach the halfway mark of the $1.4-million event at the Tanah Merah Country Club on 10-under par 134, extending her overnight lead.

Australian veteran Webb, lying in second spot, is nicely poised to make a charge for the title after carding a 66 for an eight-under total of 136 at the par-72 Garden Course.

“I feel great about it. You know, fairly solid round. I putted really well today,” said Webb, a seven-time Major winner who has than $15 million in career earnings.

The 36-year-old Australian, who has won 36 titles on the LPGA Tour, fancies her chances to lift the trophy on Sunday after a solid second round in the sweltering heat.

“Yeah, it's nice to be up there on Friday with a chance and making up a little bit of ground to even give myself a chance,” said the Hall of Famer.

“You know, I'm looking forward to the weekend and we'll see what happens,” she said.

World number one Yani Tseng's hopes of lifting a trophy for the fourth time in fourth weeks took a dent with her round marred by four bogeys to leave her eight shots behind the leader.

“I finished pretty bad I think, number nine, ten, feel very disappointed especially number nine,” said the 22-year-old Taiwanese star.

“That was an easy birdie for everybody and I just hit it into the water. But still have two days to go and I will do my best, try my best,” she said.

Tseng was the hottest player coming into the tournament, having won the season-opening LPGA Thailand event in Pattaya on Sunday.

Before her victory in Thailand, Tseng also chalked up two consecutive wins on the Ladies European Tour in Australia and took top honours at a small pro event in Taiwan in January.

Defending champion Ai Miyazato of Japan is tied in 12th position along with eight others including American star Michelle Wie after carding a two-under 70 and is even at 144 after 36 holes.

American Cristie Kerr, ranked fifth in the world, shook off the effects of stomach flu to card a five-under par 67 for a three-under total of 141 and is tied in sixth with South Korea's Hur M.J.

The American had a near-perfect round with four birdies and an eagle at the par-four 16th hole, the only blemish on her scorecard being a bogey on the 15th.

“I played really well today, hit the ball very solidly, hit a lot of greens,” said the 33-year-old American, who won last year's LPGA Championships by a record 12 strokes to add to her other Major win in 2007.

“Gave myself a lot of chances and I putted very well today. I felt much better today like with my health,” said Kerr.



Box

Westwood, Mickelson among ousted in Arizona PGA (box head)



MARANA, Arizona (AFP) - – World number one Lee Westwood of England and US fourth seed Phil Mickelson were among surprise losers in the second round at the World Golf Championships Match Play Championship.



Westwood and Mickelson werent the only big guns spiked on Thursday as two-time runner-up Paul Casey of England, Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy and South African Ernie Els also were ousted on a day of drama at Dove Mountain course.



Following the first round elimination of third seed Tiger Woods, it left the $8.5 million event somewhat lacking in star power with 16 players still standing.



Only three of the top 10 overall seeds are still standing, all of them Europeans -- No. 2 Martin Kaymer, No. 5 Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland and No. 9 Luke Donald of England.



And Germany's Kaymer barely survived, outlasting Englishman Justin Rose 1-up at the second extra hole.



Perhaps the most intriguing winner was Italian Matteo Manassero, at 17 the youngest player in the field. He fended off South African Charl Schwartzel 1-up.



Westwood did not play badly, but nonetheless continued his poor record in this event, having never advanced past the second round in 11 attempts, edged 1-up by American Nick Watney.



“Nick shot five-under and I shot four-under, so thats pretty good golf,” said Westwood, who wasnt entirely correct regarding their respective scores, but close enough.



“I think we were pretty even tee to green. Nick just holed a few more putts than me. I didnt putt particularly well, certainly not well enough but thats the way match play goes.”



Watney, the 32nd seed, was relieved to win.



“I played very well, especially at the start,” he said. “I got a couple up but hes not the worlds No. 1 player for nothing and I knew he would come back.



“I know Lee's record and I knew he was going to be tough. Its very satisfying.”



Mickelson, meanwhile, was no match for fellow American Rickie Fowler, an emphatic 6 and 5 winner.



“He hit a lot of great shots,” said a philosophical Mickelson. “Certainly I got outplayed. Thats obvious.”



Fowler fell behind after three holes but that was the only hole he lost.



“I turned things around with two birdies and Phil left a couple of doors open that I took advantage of,” Fowler said.



Perhaps the biggest upset was McIlroys defeat, not so much because the No. 7 seed lost as the way he was unceremoniously humbled by American Ben Crane, 8 and 7.



Els lost to J.B. Holmes when his putt at the last horseshoed out while Dane Thomas Bjorn also bowed out a day after eliminating Woods.



The lower seed won eight of 16 matches. Eight Americans advanced to the final 16, along with five Europeans, two Australians and one Korean.



Add Manassero to the list of rising young stars who could be a title threat at the weekend.



“It's a big sense of achievement for me,” said Manassero, whose lack of length off the tee has not hindered him so far.



'I'm really confident because Im driving the ball well, hitting the irons well. If I make a few more putts, its going to be absolutely perfect. I'm really confident on my game, which is very important.”



Kaymer also had to work hard to win the days only match that went extra holes.



“It would have been tough if I lost,” Kaymer said. “I was playing very good golf but he came back really strong on the back nine and made a lot of putts. It was a good fight.”