SSP Chawrasia played a flawless bogey-free 2nd round to find himself sitting solo at the top of the leaderboard after a threat of lightning suspended play here in New Delhi at the Dlf Golf and Country Club.
Left with three holes to complete from his 1st round which was also suspended due to lightning and thunderstorms, Chawrasia made two pars and a bogey on the last to sit at even par before the start of the second round.
Playing alongside him, David Horsey had a better start to the day after closing out his 1st round with a birdie to open up a two shot advantage at the top. However, Chawrasia made a fast start thereafter and got back into red figures with a birdie on his second hole of Round 2.
He turned at -3 for the round and continued his fine form on his back nine after starting from the 10th tee. He rolled in long putts on the 5th and 8th holes and kept up the good work by keeping his focus over the short ones which can be of utmost significance at the end of the tournament.
David Horsey had a different experience in the second round as he posted a 2 over-74 to fall behind Chawrasia by a shot. Starting with a two shot cushion over the field and a five shot margin over playing partner SSP, David made a costly double-bogey on the par-3 fifth hole (his 14th hole) before making another bogey on his penultimate hole of the day.
David gave a good idea of how tough it was out there today, “Towards the end, I was getting a bit tired, I didn’t sleep very well last night. It was an early start, up at half past four this morning. But I played quite nicely. A little bit disappointed with the finish, I left a few putts out there on the back nine. But still, I’m only one behind just now, that’s not a bad position going into the weekend.”
“It’s tough, yeah.” Talking abut his double-bogey on the par-3 fifthe hole, “It’s a long, island green. It was about 170 today, but I hit it in the bunker and three-putted. Then I four-putted eight and missed a short one on nine, so I’ve wasted three or four shots there on the greens.”
That meant, Horsey fell behind and Chawrasia set himself up for a shot at retaining his national open title, a feat last achieved by Jyoti Randhawa in 2007.
Inspired by his heroics from last year’s Indian Open and needing to keep up with David Horsey’s blemish free 66 in the first round, Chawrasia put himself in command with his own fine scoring.
It’s no secret he has been a hero in his own backyard and only won abroad for the first time in 2016. however, Chawrasia is proving that he has the game to battle the tricky European type course conditions that are prevalent at the Gary Player layout of DLF Golf and Country Club this week.
He has won at DLF previously with a top of the podium finish at the 2011 Avantha Masters but it must be noted that the tournament was played on a totally different course on the same piece of land.
Chawrasia was happy to get in before the horn was blown and was visibly delighted to hold the position of advantage; not needing to come back out tomorrow to finish his second round, something that majority of the players who teed off in the afternoon will have to do.
A happy Chawrasia said, “I’m getting a little used to the course now but still learning along the way and trying to understand the course.”
“I haven’t changed anything. I’ll look to play the same way on the last two days. My strategy is to hit straight and putt well. Just trying to keep it simple”, he added.
On being quizzed about the course conditions, he said “It’s a tricky course and the greens are very tough, I will need my full focus. It was not easier today but yes it was less windy as compared to yesterday. It’s important to mix caution with aggression on this track.”
“My putter was hot today. I converted from 25 feet and 20 feet on the fifth and eighth respectively. I also had a 40-feet conversion on the 14th. The main difference between yesterday and today’s round was that the putts rolled in today unlike yesterday.”
“On the ninth, it was a good putt but just lipped out. These things happen in golf. I’m happy to be bogey-free today. It’s quite an achievement to play bogey-free here.”
“The good memories from last year have really helped me. I woke up at 4 am today as I had an early start since my round was unfinished from yesterday. I’m now looking forward to some much needed rest as I know I’ll be starting late on Saturday.”
Italian Mateo Manassero who held the overnight clubhouse lead at -4 had only played a solitary hole before play was suspended and occupied joint second position with Englishman, Horsey.
Eddie Pepperell was a further shot behind at -3 and was yet to start his 2nd round. Spaniard, Carlos Pigem produced a 1 over par round to stay in the reckoning at -2 for the tournament.
Here’s what Carlos said of his round: “Yeah it’s a very tough golf course. You are under pressure in every single shot, so you have to play the shot 100%. The two shots I really missed today cost me two double-bogeys because I hit two balls into the water. You have to keep fighting here. We’ll see what is going to happen at the weekend.”
“It was windy in the first nine also and I played one under, pretty good. Then I make another birdie and miss a shot on hole number five, I hit it in the water. Then on hole number eight, the same. It’s still a good round, 73 is not bad, and we’ll see what happens the next two days. It’s going to be really important not to make three putts because these greens are very big and sloped. I think that will be the key.”
Only 14 players remained in red figures as opposed to the number of 23 players at the start of the day.
Also Read: Indians at HIO 2017: SSP Chawrasia off to a good start and amateur Fernandes shines in Round 1
