Garrigus feels like ‘world-beater’ as he leaves Woods trailing in Malaysia

Published on 27/10/2012 01:07

robert Garrigus left Tiger Woods trailing five strokes 
behind after a second successive 64 at the CIMB Classic at 
The Mines in hot and humid 
Malaysia yesterday.

The big-hitting American, three times a runner-up on the PGA Tour this season, reached halfway at 14-under-par and two in front of South African Jbe Kruger as Woods moved up only from seventh to fifth with a 67.

“No disrespect to anybody on the PGA Tour – they’re all great players – but I feel like I can beat anybody in the world,” said 34-year-old Garrigus, currently 43rd in the rankings and with only one career victory to his name. Kruger had double-bogeyed the last in his opening 66, but that gave the world No 181 a first-ever pairing with Woods and it inspired him to a 64.

Woods has had 13 birdies in his first two rounds, but also two bogeys each day. The one on the 475-yard fourth left him with a face full of mud after he played his third from a bank next to the water hazard and he said: “I had a good enough lie that I knew 
I could get it out and give myself a putt.

“It is playing where it could be had out there. Guys are shooting good scores, a bunch of 65s 
and lower. You just can’t keep passive – you have to be aggressive.”

First-round leader Troy Matteson has still to have a bogey, but only two birdies for a 69 dropped him to joint third on 10-under with Australian left-hander Greg Chalmers.

Alongside Woods are fellow American Kevin Na and Zimbabwe’s Brendon de Jonge, while Martin Laird (67) is joint 11th on seven-under.