Fifth hole pin placement wreaks havoc in Malaysia

ByAlex Lowe

The 22-year-old, who played for England at Saujana in the 2002 Eisenhower Trophy, charged up the leaderboard late in the day to join South African Martin Maritz and Australian Terry Price on six-under.

The trio led by a shot from Malaysia's own Airil-Rizman Zahari and were two clear of a 10-strong group on four-under, including Ireland's Paul McGinley. Padraig Harrington was also well in the hunt, just a further shot behind.

The notable casualty was Colin Montgomerie who arrived at the fifth - his 14th smiling on four-under and challenging for the lead.

Five strokes later and Montgomerie cut a furious figure after a double- bogey on the unforgiving par three.

The pin was on a ridge. A putt over- hit by a foot would catch the slope and scamper down off the green and Montgomerie's effort did just that.

But the Scot was not alone in suffering at the hands of the fifth's devilishly difficult pin position.

Forty-four of the field dropped a shot there, 12 double-bogeyed while three carded triple-bogey sixes; leader Maritz later said it was "borderline impossible".

McGinley said the pin placement was "certainly a mistake". The Irishman parred the hole, but only by under-hitting his first putt in case it slid off the green.

"It was wrong. I think the officials know it was wrong," said McGinley, who struggled to see how officials could find four different pin positions on the green.

"I can see why guys got annoyed. There is no question, it is annoying."

The tiered greens are testing but the controversial placement on five did not bother Harrington, who wrote the hole off as one not to birdie.

"It's interesting," said the Irishman, who finished in the group on three-under-par after a solid 69.

"There are a number of pin positions on the course that are realistically not birdie chances. We have been moving that way on the European Tour for some time."