A rain delay in the second round of the Asian Open was the ounce of luck Mahal Pearce needed to claim a season-best fifth placing on the Asian golf Tour.
Pearce was poised to miss the cut on Friday, sitting at two-under after bogies on the 13th and 14th, when
the heavens opened, sending players from the Tomson Pudong Golf Club in Shanghai.
"At that stage I was a bit hot under the collar and very frustrated with things," Pearce said from Shanghai yesterday.
"I don't know what the break did but I came out the next day, birdied 15 and 16, made the cut on par and shot four under the next round.
"Everything just seemed to click."
The Dunedin-based golfer finished the tournament on Sunday at one-under 71, tied for fifth place and just two shots behind the leaders. He earned $106,330, enough to ensure he retained his Asian Tour card for next season.
Pearce, the 2003 New Zealand Open champion, briefly held the lead outright but bogies on consecutive holes saw him drop back into the chasing pack.
"I was a bit disappointed this morning when I woke up, but also relieved that it's taken care of my Asian Tour card for next year.
"It takes a bit of pressure off. Now I can just concentrate on the weeks ahead."
Pearce said the travel on the Asian Tour - so far this year he has played in Qatar, Indonesia, Singapore and China - was tough but he could now approach the remaining tournaments with more confidence.
"One goal I have is to start winning overseas."
- OTAGO DAILY TIMES
