Johnson 5 Shots Behind in 8th Place... Perez Leads

Saudi International Day 2: 2-Under Par Performance, Green 2nd, Mickelson 12th, Koepka 38th

Dustin Johnson is teeing off on the 2nd hole on the second day of the Saudi International. King Abdullah Economic City (Saudi) = Getty Images / Photo by Multivitz

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] Defending champion Dustin Johnson (USA) is cruising smoothly.

In the early morning of the 1st (Korean time) at the Royal Greens Golf Club (par 70, 7,010 yards) in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia, the second day of the European Tour Saudi International (total prize money $3.5 million) ended with Johnson adding 2 under par to move up to a tie for 8th place (5 under par 135). Victor Perez (France) leads (10 under par 130), Gavin Green (Malaysia) is 2nd (9 under par 131), and Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland) is 3rd (8 under par 132).

Johnson started tied for 14th, 3 strokes behind, and recorded 4 birdies and 2 bogeys. In the front nine, he made 1 birdie and 2 bogeys, losing 1 stroke. However, in the back nine, he added 3 birdies on holes 10, 14, and 17. He is 5 strokes behind the leader, still in a position to hope for a comeback. Perez surged with 5 under par to quickly take the top of the leaderboard. He is on an upswing after finishing tied for 2nd at the Abu Dhabi HSBC two weeks ago. He won his first title at the Alfred Dunhill Links in September last year.

Victor Dubuisson (France) and Jazz Janewattananond (Thailand) are tied for 5th (6 under par 134), and Henrik Stenson (Sweden) is tied for 8th. Phil Mickelson (USA) and Shane Lowry (Ireland) are tied for 12th (4 under par 136), eyeing a rise in the rankings. World No. 1 Brooks Koepka (USA) shot 1 under par and remains tied for 38th (1 under par 139). Wang Jeong-hoon (25) struggled with 3 over par and was cut off, tied for 115th (6 over par 146).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.