Asian Games 2023: Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho shakes off neck troubles to surge into lead at halfway stage
- Stunning 12-under-par 60 moves him to 22 under after two rounds, despite neck issue
- ‘I was thinking of not playing, but obviously it’s a team sport this week, so I’m glad I pulled through,’ Kho says
Taichi Kho began the day wondering if he should play at all – but ended it with the lowest round of his career and a six-shot lead at the Asian Games.
The Hong Kong golfer carded a scarcely believable 12-under-par 60 at the Westlake International Golf and Country Club on Friday, moving to 22 under after two rounds in the men’s individual tournament.
Overnight leader Jang Yu-bin shot a 67 to move to 16 under, with Chinese Taipei’s Hung Chien-yao leaping seven spots up the leader board with a nine-under round of 63 to sit on alongside the South Korean amateur in a tie for second.
“I struggled bit with my body today, I had a bit of an issue with my neck leading into the round and I was thinking of not playing, but obviously it’s a team sport this week, so I’m glad I pulled through,” Kho said.
“The physios from Hong Kong are really good at their job, so I was able to get through and mentally it was really nice to feel some adrenaline down the stretch, two of the best rounds I’ve ever had in my life back-to-back.”
Despite an eagle on the par-five second hole, Kho said the highlight of his second bogey-free round of the week was a birdie on the par-four 18th, where he hit his approach from a fairway bunker to within six feet of the flag.
