Due to the weather and course conditions, lift, clean, and place was in effect for the second round in the CIMB Classic. It is the rainy season in Malaysia right now but everyone is hoping that there will not be as much rain this weekend as there was last night. The conditions will help some players and hurt some players this weekend.
Tiger Woods is playing well this week in Malaysia and Nobilo said that he really likes the transition that Tiger has made with his golf swing over the last 18 months. However, he is still capable of the wayward tee shot and at times he seems to have distance control issues on his shorter clubs but for the most part his game looks very solid this week.
Looking ahead to 2013, Tiger will have to improve his game from 50 yards and in if he is going to seriously contend in Major Championships on a consistent basis. When Tiger was winning his Majors, his short game was without comparison and the shots he could hit under pressure were almost magical when you consider the pressure and the moment but he is far from that performance level right now.
Robert Garrigus is leading in Malaysia and he is seeking his first win since the 2010 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic. Garrigus has played well in 2012 but he has not won this year. Over the past couple of years, Garrigus has been able to build up confidence in his ability to succeed. In terms of his short game, he has gone away from the very short putter and the long putter and now uses a conventional putter which is working very well for him.
Jbe Kruger is a talented player from South Africa and he is in contention in Malaysia. The most impressive thing about Kruger’s Friday 64 was not the score but the fact that he shot 64 playing alongside Tiger Woods.
Looking ahead to the weekend, Nobilo said that he can anticipate someone coming from a few shots back to contend and maybe even win this weekend. The course conditions will allow someone – especially a long hitter – to contend as this golf course could easily give up a pair of 64s on Saturday and Sunday.
