Simon Griffiths will take a two-shot lead into Sunday after an excellent round in increasingly blustery and difficult conditions, but it could have been even better but for a double bogey on the final hole.
The reigning Barry Lane Rookie of the Year made a blistering start in calm conditions with five birdies in a row from the 1st and a magnificent 6-iron to three feet to set up an eagle at the 8th. He made the turn in just 29 shots, but the wind kicked up for his back nine. His first dropped shot of the day came at the 11th, but back-to-back red numbers on 15 and 16 put him four shots clear at -12.
The 452-yard 18th was a beast today, playing into the wind and to a pin tucked in the back-right of a long green that’s guarded by water short and right and deep bunkers to the left. Griffiths was unfortunate to have a plugged lied in a greenside bunker after his third shot, but he holed a gritty six-footer for double bogey and a best-of-the-day 66 – following a 68 in round one.
“It’s mixed emotions,” said the Staysure Marbella Legends winner after this round. “I got off to a flier when the wind was down and then I finished pretty poorly, to be honest. But I’ll still take a 66.”
Griffiths has been getting used to being in contention with two wins and eight top-10s in his last 15 Legends Tour starts, but the Order of Merit number six is pragmatic about how much those experiences will help going into the final round: “They do and they don’t, because it’s a new day and you’ve still got to hit the shots. Just because you’ve played well in the past, doesn’t mean you’re going to go out and play well in the last round. You’ve got to go out with the same emotions, deal with it and try and play well. There are so many good players that you know it’s always going to be difficult.
“A lot depends on what the weather is like. If it’s calm tomorrow, the course is sort of gettable. But if it blows like it did this afternoon, it’s a totally different animal.”
The three players in tied-2nd on -8 are DP World Tour winner Emanuele Canonica, last year’s Zambia Legends champion Keith Horne and this year’s Qualifying School victor Shinichi Yokota.
Horne was challenging at the summit of the leaderboard for much of the round as he carded five birdies in his first 10 holes, but he came home from there in +1 for a second successive 68. Canonica notched seven birdies in a 67, while Yokota had only one dropped shot on his card and came home in 33 to sign for a 68.
Van Phillips and Greig Hutcheon, two first-time winners on the Legends Tour last season, are tied-5th on -7 after shooting rounds of 69 and 70, respectively. David Drysdale, joint-leader after round one, had a level par 72 to sit alongside 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie and Q School graduate Matt Cort at -6.
The top-10 is completed by Order of Merit number one Scott Hend and two-time DP World Tour winner Simon Khan a shot further back in tied-10th. Hend mixed seven birdies with two bogeys and a late double bogey on 17 in his 69, while Khan eagled 13 and made a rare birdie at the 18th to finish strongly for a 71.
It was a disappointing day for the other overnight leader, Robert Coles, who had to settle for a 76. He’s dropped back into a tie for 15th on -2.
Visit the homepage to see the full leaderboard and final round tee times, and for more information about the Reignwood Legends Championship at Reignwood Pine Valley, Beijing, China. There is a live stream of the final round available on the Legends Tour YouTube Channel from 5am UK time (midday China time).
Round 2 Clubhouse Leader Interview
