International Golf Tournament.
Inteco Russian Open Golf Championship 2008
25 July

Inteco Russian Open Golf Championship 2008 has started on 24th of July in Nakhabino, Moscow region.  Russia Open Golf Championship among professionals exists in Russia for 13 years ­and in the last 3 year has become a significant part of PGA European Tour – one of the most important professional world golf tournaments.

The second day of the tournament started on the 25th at Le Meridien Moscow Country Club and intense fight among 144 players from different countries continued. People, following the game on website www.europeantour.com or by live broadcast on channels “7 TV”, Eurosport, Sky or Golf Channel and those who bought the tickets and witnessed the game in the distance of few meters, have chosen their favorites and continue to support them in the next round.
“I’m supporting Per-Ulrik Johansson!” – exclaimed 11 year old junior golf club pupil, Stephania. – Last year I supported him too, maybe that’s why he won. Today he has shown good results and got in to the best 20. Last year bad weather disturbed him but this year it’s sunny, beautiful, and people smile at each other!”

The second day of the game started in a friendly atmosphere for guests and nervous – for the players, although many of them had bettered their positions, and some – lost them. In the middle of the second round it became apparent that leaders had changed: Mikael Lundberg and Jarmo Sandelin from Sweden who in round №1 were in 6th place with the same score 64 (-8) and their mutual result 131 (-13) in two days.

Born in Halsingborg, 34 year old Mikael Lundberg has played at Meridien Moscow Country Club before, in 2005 he took over English player, Andrew Butterfield,  in play-off at the Cadillac Russian Open and won first prize – 67 599 euros.
Jarmo Sandelin was the winner of the first in history BMW Asian Open – the most “expensive” tournament with 242 200 dollars prize fund.

Four yesterday’s leaders have lost their positions: Swede Joakim Backstrom, English David Carter, Finn Roope Kakko on 24th (138 (-6)), and Frederik Henge on 56th (142 (-2)).

The legend of the world golf - John Daly - worsened his result from the 42 place in first round to the 75th (143 (-1)). That day he couldn’t do some straight putts on green.

Russian amateur golfer Andrey Pavlov swapped his 120th place to the 87th, which was the best result among Russian players.

At the end of the day, all guests and players were invited to the traditional Cut Party, which is dedicated for those who didn’t make it and wouldn’t be continuing the fight for the “piece” of 2 000 000 dollars prize fund. All the players from the 70th place down were eliminated leaving 73 in. Unfortunately, John Daly and golfers representing our country were projected cut.