In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, after making the cut his first two visits to the Maybank Malaysian Open, University of New Mexico golfer Gavin Green didn’t let a 2-over-par 74 in the first round get in the way of playing on the weekend there a third straight time.
The senior and Kuala Lumpur native fired a 4-under 68 Friday and improved 58 spots at 2-under 142 to a share of 21st place after two rounds of the European Tour event at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. He trails co-leaders Lee Westwood and Alejandro Cañizares by nine strokes.
Cañizares’ low round of 7-under 65 on Friday bettered Westwood’s 5-under 67 to leave both at 11-under 133.
Green, No. 6 according to the World Amateur Golf Rankings, had seven birdies and three bogeys during his round. He started off with a bogey on No. 1 to go 3-over, which was the projected cut. But he went on a tear beginning on the third hole, birdieing four of his next five holes.
He is one stroke ahead of 26-time professional-event winner Miguel Angel Jiménez.
Green, the all-time leading Lobo player with six individual medalist honors during his collegiate career, tied for 22nd at the Malaysian Open his sophomore year and tied for 47th last year as a junior.
Lobo coach Glen Millican is serving as his caddy for the event this week. Green younger brother, Galven, finished tied for 115th with at 6-over 150 and missed the cut by three strokes.
Green is scheduled to tee off for the third round at 8:40 a.m. local time on Saturday.
The 26th-ranked Lobos are back in action Feb. 18-20 at the John Burns Intercollegiate, in Kauai, Hawaii.