AFP/Delhi
Thai Chapchai Nirat and China’s Liang Wenchong shot rounds of 66 yesterday to lead the Avantha Masters at the halfway stage but European Tour great Colin Montgomerie failed to make the cut.
Chapchai and Liang carded identical six-under-par scores in each of the first two rounds of the $2.3 million event at the Greg Norman-designed par-72 Jaypee Greens course outside New Delhi to leave them joint top on 12-under. “I played very well indeed,” said Chapchai, a three-time winner on the Asian Tour who is looking for his first European Tour title after six years.
“I have adjusted well to the long course. I also managed to hole several long putts as well, but I am lucky to be sharing the lead at this stage.”
Liang, the first player from mainland China to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2007, joined Chapchai with eight birdies against two bogeys in the second round. “I feel recharged after taking a break to spend time with my family,” he said. “I have played some of my best golf this week and I managed to hole several long putts.
“There are still two more rounds to go and, hopefully, I can be atop the leaderboard like today.”
Thailand’s Chawalit Plaphol, David Drysdale of Scotland, Tommy Fleetwood of England and Finland’s Joonas Granberg all lay two strokes behind the leaders at 10-under.
Fleetwood carded a seven-under 65 - later matched by Brazilian Adilson Da Silva (BRA) - to keep himself in the hunt. Chinnarat Phadungsil of Thailand, whose astonishing 28 on the back nine on Thursday gave him the lead with 11-under par 61, failed to conjure the same magic on the second day.
An inconsistent run of bogeys but five birdies saw him finish the day with two-over 74 for a combined tally of nine-under 135. “It’s not over for me yet. If I play like yesterday, all will be forgotten,” he said. Scotland’s Montgomerie, one of the tournament’s star attractions, will not be involved in the weekend’s play after two rounds of 76.
India’s richest golf event, now into its fourth year, is co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours.
Japan’s Miyazato sets course record
Phoenix: Japan’s Ai Miyazato set a course record Thursday, carding a nine-under 63 to take a two-shot lead after the first round of the LPGA Tour’s Founders Cup tournament.
Miyazato, who finished second in this event last year, leads South Korea’s Jee Young Lee, who equalled the previous course record at Wildfire Golf Club with a seven-under 65.
“I hit the ball well and my putting was really good,” said Miyazato of bogey-free round. “I think I had good course management as well and I could control myself really well, too, so it was a good day.”
Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum, Taiwan’s Candie Kung, and Americans Gerina Piller and Brittany Lang share third place after they shot rounds of 66. Australian Katherine Hull-Kirk, Sandra Gal, Jiyai Shin and Lexi Thompson are one shot adrift in seventh at 67.
“You know, it’s just beautiful out there,” Miyazato said. “It’s just always nice to play in this tournament, it’s very enjoyable, and I just had a good feeling this morning.”
Indeed as Miyazato began her round with a birdie at the opening hole followed by three-consecutive pars.
She made two more birdies at No. 5 and the eighth before making the turn at three-under.
Miyazato tacked on another birdie at the 11th as she was able to charge up the leaderboard by picking up five shots over a four-hole stretch.
Her hot streak included a birdie at No. 14, followed by an eagle at the par-five 15th. She then posted back-to-back birdies at the 16th and 17th before closing with a par at the last.
Defending champ Yani Tseng posted a two-under 70 in her first round to take a share of 39th place. Paula Creamer, who along with Miyazato suffered whiplash injuries in a car crash in Thailand, shot a three-under 69 and is tied for 21st.
Natalie Gulbis was forced to withdraw from the tournament on Wednesday after she was diagnosed with malaria. The American pulled out of the tournament after first becoming ill while playing in a LPGA Tour event two weeks ago in Singapore.
Rookie Stefani grabs first round lead
Tampa Bay: PGA Tour rookie Shawn Stefani fired six birdies in a flawless 65 to seize a two-shot lead after the opening round of the $5.5 million Tampa Bay Championship yesterday. The 31-year-old American is coming off a season-best tie for 39th at the Puerto Rico Open last week.
“I wasn’t really starting the day with a lot expectations,” said Stefani after notching six birdies, noting that he just wanted “to go out and have fun and hit some good shots.”
Brian Harman posted a bogey on his final hole and is alone in second at four-under 67 on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club. Harris English shot a three-under 68 and is tied in third with two other Americans, Tag Ridings and Brendan Steele. English had been on course for second spot on the leaderboard before a double bogey on his last hole.
Two-time champion K J Choi, of South Korea, and Fiji’s 2004 winner Vijay Singh both carded two-under 69s. They are in a group of eight alongside Australian Geoff Ogilvy, Peter Tomasulo, Dicky Pride, Lucas Glover, Chez Reavie and Roberto Castro.
Stefani began his round on the back nine and started quickly with back to back birdies. On the opening hole he managed to stick his second shot inside two feet. He made it two birdies in a row at No. 11 by chipping his third shot to four feet.