Thursday, March 19, 2009

Sam breaks European

Seniors Tour records

FROM STEVE TODD
European Senior Tour Press Officer
Sam Torrance re-wrote the record books with a stunning second round 63 to place one hand on his 11th European Senior Tour title at the DGM Barbados Open.
Torrance shaved a stroke off the Royal Westmoreland course record previously shared by Priscillo Dinz (2001), Terry Gale (2003) and Gavan Levenson (2004) to set a new Senior Tour low for 36 holes of 16 under par 128.
The Scot now takes a record-equalling nine-shot lead over Paraguay’s Angel Franco going into the final round, with the only other player to hold such a margin on the Senior Tour being Tommy Horton in the 1997 Scottish Seniors Open.
Torrance, who has yet to drop at shot in Barbados, having opened with a 65, is now in pole position to become the first Senior Tour player to win, having led wire-to-wire with no ties since Carl Mason’s victory in the 2006 Estoril Seniors Open of Portugal.
An eagle 3 on the 13th hole – the fourth hole of his second round, having started on the 10th tee - was the catalyst for another spellbinding performance from Europe’s 2002 Ryder Cup- winning Captain, with a further seven birdies to follow including one on the final hole to set the new course record.
“I really did play magnificently again today,” said the 55-year-old from Largs, Ayrshire. “I actually missed three or four putts from five feet so it could have been even better but I’m delighted with a 63 and the course record.
“The eagle really started it all off. It was a great tee shot then a fantastic four iron to eight feet. That was my first hole under par and I just kicked on from there. I holed a couple of 20ft putts and a few 10ft putts but I’m just playing magnificently at the moment.”
Torrance, who finished tied sixth in the season opening Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters presented by the Stapleford Forum, certainly appears to be back to his best form following a troublesome hand injury, having won the 2008 season ending OKI Castellón Open España – Senior Tour Championship.
He admitted the size of his lead would mean the final round challenge would be a different one from that victory where he had only a two-stroke margin.
“I am quite a few shots clear now so it will be a different pressure but I’m playing really well and I’ve just got to go out and keep on doing what I’ve been doing,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to it.”
Franco also eagled the 13th hole en route to a round of 67 to move to seven under par, with Torrance’s compatriot Ross Drummond a shot further back following a 69.
Englishmen Martin Poxon and Glenn Ralph on five under par, with Ralph’s 67 continuing his fine return to the game following more than a year out due to a broken ankle suffered in a swimming pool accident whilst on holiday.
The 52 year old Camberley Heath professional finished tied sixth alongside Torrance and Sandy Lyle in Brunei and has maintained his form in Barbados.
“I’m a little bit surprised with that round I have to admit,” said Ralph whose best Senior Tour finish was second in the 2007 Scandinavian Senior Open. “I’ve not played golf at all for more than a year and I came out here, like I did in Brunei, with no expectations. I was just hoping to play some golf before the big run of tournaments in the middle of the year.
“I played really steadily though and holed some nice putts so long may it continue. I’m just going to go out there tomorrow and enjoy the day.”
LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

Par 144 (2 x 72)
128 S Torrance (Sco) 65 63
137 A Franco (Par) 70 67
138 R Drummond (Sco) 69 69
139 G Ralph (Eng) 72 67, M Poxon (Eng) 70 69
140 M Harwood (Aus) 68 72
141 N Job (Eng) 70 71, G Brand (Eng) 68 73
142 B Longmuir (Sco) 71 71, H Carbonetti (Arg) 72 70, G Cali (Ita) 71 71, J Bruner (USA) 72 70
143 D Cambridge (Jam) 71 72, D Smyth (Irl) 74 69
144 A Tapie (USA) 73 71, D Russell (Eng) 71 73, A Murray (Eng) 71 73, L Carbonetti (Arg) 72 72
145 D O'Sullivan (Irl) 71 74, B Cameron (Eng) 70 75, D Durnian (Eng) 72 73, J Heggarty (Nir) 73 72
146 D Johnson (USA) 72 74,
147 B Lincoln (RSA) 71 76, J Cañizares (Esp) 74 73
148 M Cunning (USA) 79 69, B Smit (RSA) 74 74, J Chillas (Sco) 74 74, J Rivero (Esp) 73 75
149 I Mosey (Eng) 72 77, I Woosnam (Wal) 75 74
150 P Oakley (USA) 74 76, K Spurgeon (Eng) 77 73, B Boyd (USA) 76 74, M Piñero (Esp) 77 73
151 J Hawkes (RSA) 73 78, G Levenson (RSA) 73 78
152 A Fernandez (Chi) 73 79, C Leacock (Bar) 74 78, G Banister (Aus) 72 80
153 T Charnley (Eng) 79 74, T Horton (Eng) 74 79, V Garcia (Esp) 76 77
154 M Miller (Sco) 79 75, G Encina (Chi) 81 73
156 A Garrido (Esp) 80 76
157 D Arnette (USA) 77 80



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Still no light in the tunnel for Lloyd

Saltman: 77 in Colombia Masters

If Rory McIlroy seems to have suddenly become a better player since he turned pro, fellow Walker Cup player Lloyd Saltman's talent seems to have gone into reserve drive.
Saltman, now playing out of Archerfield Links, continues to struggle as a tour pro after making the long journey to South America.

He had a first-round 77 - five over par - on the opening day of the European Challenge Tour season and the Club Colombia Masters at the Bogota Country Club. Lloyd had a bogey at the first, a double bogey 7 at the second, a triple bogey 7 at the fourth and a double bogey 5 at the short fifth.

From there on, he was three under par for the last 13 holes, birdieing the eighth, 15th and 18th to stand joint 121st in a field of 149. Former Scottish amateur champion Andrew McArthur fare best of the three Scots in the field. He had a one-under 71. Carnoustie's Eric Ramsay signed for a 74.

Denmark’s Mark F Haastrup made the perfect start to the Challenge Tour season by firing a five under par 67 for a share of the lead with home favourite Diego Vanegas.
Haastrup returns to Challenge Tour action keen to make an immediate impression having just missed out on the 2008 top 20 and graduation on to the European Tour when he finished 26th in the Rankings.
The 24 year old, who won The Dubliner Challenge in Sweden in 2008, finished tied runner up behind winner Wil Besseling at Country Club de Bogotá last year and showed the course was once again to his liking with seven birdies in a fine opening round.
Haastrup opted to spend the winter honing his game at Georgia State College rather than return to his native Denmark and it seemed to have paid dividends he hit the ground running in the Challenge Tour curtain-raiser.
“I was more than happy with that start,” said the 24 year old. “I was actually a bit nervous before going out – first tournament back nerves but I played really well.
“I hit 17 greens and putted really well and got a couple of lucky breaks off trees. I really like this course. I did well here last year. It is pretty tight but not too long so I was taking irons off some tees.
“It was definitely a dream start out there for me. There’s a long way to go but if I can play like that there is no reason I can’t go one better than last year.
“I spent the winter at Georgia State and they let me practice every day there. They are really nice guys and the weather there meant I could work on my game rather than practice indoors in Denmark.
“I missed out on the top 20 to get on the European Tour last season finishing 26th, so that was kind of a disappointment but it was my first year and I’m going to try and do a little better this year”.
Vanegas carded six birdies and just the single bogey in his round of 67, while fellow Colombian Ricardo Ruiz is in a group of three players a shot behind the leaders after four under par rounds of 68.
Italian Edoardo Molinari, the 2007 champion, is among 15 players on three under par along with Northern Ireland’s Gareth Shaw.

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 72

67 M Haastrup (Den), D Vanegas (Col)
68 R Ruiz (Col), P Acuna (Gtm), C Monasterio (Arg), A Wagner (Arg)
69 J Zapata (Arg), J Guerrier (Fra) , S Acevedo (Arg), P Del Grosso (Arg) , G Rojas (Arg) , M Guzman (Arg), M Rodriguez (Arg), W Rodriguez (Arg), J Billot (Fra), R Goti (Arg), G Shaw (Nir), P Gustafsson (Swe), E Molinari (Ita), L Moolman (RSA), J Luna (Col) (am)
70 L De Jager (RSA), T Nakamura (Jpn), M Tullo (Chi), M Molina (Arg), R Gonzalez (Arg), L Kennedy (Eng) , C Russo (Fra), A Rauhut (Col), J Little (Eng), D Ulrich (Sui), N Bollini (USA)
71 S Juul (Den) , J Abbate (Arg), F Gomez (Arg), J Quesne (Fra), J Morrison (Eng), E Herrera (Col), B Alvarado (Chi), R Harris (Eng), D Froreich (Ger), A Bernadet (Fra), S Saavedra (Arg) , A Adrian (Ven), J Noguera (Arg), M Fernandez (Arg), A McArthur (Sco), T Whitehouse (Eng), O Floren (Swe)
72 M Martinez (Ven), A Villavicencio (Gtm), M Monguzzi (Arg), D Barbetti (Arg), M Villegas (Col), M Hurtado (Col), D Altamirano (Arg), L Dodda (Arg), C Günther (Ger), A Pinedo (Col) , J Sjoholm (Swe), L Westerberg (Swe), J Hoyos (Col), J Clavijo (Col), F Calmels (Fra), B Evans (Eng), R Romero (Col)
73 J Moul (Eng), R Treis (Ger), R Barcellos (Bra), D Olsen (USA), C Aguilar (Esp), R Steiner (Aut), E Dominguez (Arg), E Gomez (Col), J Gil (Arg), N Fox (Irl), J Sköld (Swe), O Villada (Col), A Mörk (Fra), O Solis (Ven)
74 J Amaya (Col), P Kaensche (Nor), J Rivas (Col), J Etulain (Arg), B Miarka (Ger), R Castaneda (Col), A Bruschi (Ita), R Ponce (Ecu), A Romero (Col), R Bescansa (Esp), E Ramsay (Sco), C Brazillier (Fra), A Gee (Eng), B Gonzalez (Col), J Grillon (Fra)
75 V Muller (Bra), N Maestroni (Ita), J Heath (Eng), R Gomez (Arg), M Haremza (Ger), F Cerda (Chi), K Jorgensen (Den), J Osmar (Col), J Lega (Col), M Merizalde (Col), J Garrido (Col), I Giner (Esp), A Benenati (Arg), L James (Eng), P Winther (Den) (am), K Sullivan (Wal), S Piaget (Mon), F Widmark (Swe), D Larrazabal (Ven), D Küpper (Ger)
76 A Murray (Irl), D Wardrop (Eng), S Giraldo (Col), G Acosta (Arg), D Vanegas (Col)
77 R Fretes (Par),V Leoni (USA), J Estevez (Arg), A Hansen (Den), M Kramer (Ger), L Saltman (Sco), A Grenier (Fra), J Ojeda (Arg), G Molteni (Ita), C Moriarty (Irl)
78 O Alvarez (Col), F Figueroa (Esa), F Cabrera (Arg)
79 S Jeppesen (Swe), J Roets (RSA) (am), G Mendoza (Col), M O'Curry (Arg), J Echeverry (Col), G Loroima (Ven), G Shacher (Ger)
80 R Herrera (Col), T Foley (USA), P Pinto (Arg)
81 T Argonz (Arg), L Giometti (Arg)
82 C Modesto (Col), D Marmion (Eng), R Sanz (Ven)
86 A Redondo (Col)
Retired: J Ruth (Eng)

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Whiteford and Murray have

nightmare 83s on Madeira

Irishman Damien McGrane, one of the last men to finish, came home in 31 shots, five under par, for a 66 to share the first-round lead in the Madeira Island Open with Sweden's Joakim Haeggman.
Five birdies in six holes from the turn had swept Haeggman into the lead much earlier on a long day.
But, at the other end of the scoreboard, it was a black day for two Scots, both from Fife - Peter Whiteford, pictured above, and former Scottish amateur champion George Murray from Anstruther.
Both required 83 shots - 12 over par - to negotiate the Porto Santo course.
Peter had a quadruple bogey 8 at the third, a double bogey 6 at the fourth, a double bogey 5 at the short ninth and a double bogey 6 at the 11th. That was the end of the double bogeys, fortunately, but he did drop single shots at the 16th and 17th in a birdie-less round of 83.
Murray, having started at the 10th, ran up a triple bogey 8 at the long sixth and a double bogey 5 at the seventh before finishing with bogeys at the eighth and ninth. His second nine holes - the outward half of the course - cost him 45 shots.
Murray had only one birdie all day, at the 18th.
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE:
Joakim Haeggman battled his way to a share of the first round lead with Damien McGrane in the Madeira Islands Open BPI - Portugal at Porto Santo Golfe with a five under par 66 then admitted he had come close to retirement less than six months earlier.
In 1993 Haeggman became the first Swede to represent Europe in The Ryder Cup, but he was back at Qualifying School last November in a bid to reignite his career.
"I felt like an old man on The Challenge Tour last year, and if I'd failed at the Qualifying School in November it was probably the end of the story," said Haeggman.
Instead, he finished joint fifth and as his top ten finish at the Joburg Open this year showed, he still has plenty to offer on The European Tour. "This is still what I want to do," added Haeggman, whose last Tour victory was the 2004 Qatar Masters.
"I've been working hard like everybody else and now I've got my foot in the door I'm going to try to stick it in as hard as I can."
Level par after a front nine 35, the 39 year old birdied the tenth and then had four in a row from the 12th to sign for a flawless 66.
“Overall it has been very steady,” he said.
“I did some good work in Spain last week with Simon Holmes my golf coach and it has been very satisfying. We all work hard at the game but it nice to be able to bring it out here on the golf course and make a great start to the tournament.
“I hit a great chip on ten from an almost impossible lie to two feet and made that. I pitched it to a foot on 12 and then had a lovely six iron to eight feet on 13 which is obviously a bit of a bonus. I pushed the drive on 14 to be honest but played a nice approach and holed the birdie putt and then played a great pitch to the 15th for birdie and managed to stay steady coming in.
“My game has been pretty good since November when I finished sixth at the Qualifying School. I took that on and finished seventh in Joburg at the start of the year so there have been a few good things going on. It's just that right now you really struggle to get a chance to play. You come off Tour School, get one chance, finish seventh and go to 60th in The Race to Dubai and then you have to watch everyone overtake you - before you know it you are back to being 120th again. So it's really nice to be able to play again and get the feel for it and get back into The Tour.”
Haeggman’s effort was only matched late in the day by Ireland’s McGrane, with Spain's Carl Suneson, England’s Andrew Butterfield and Argentinian youngster Estanislao Goya two shots further back on three under.
A brilliant bunker shot by McGrane at the final hole denied Haeggman the outright overnight lead.
The Irishman went out in a five under 31 after starting at the tenth tee but last year’s Volvo China Open winner was unable to sustain that kind of form on the testing course and had dropped back to four under after 17 holes, which he looked unlikely to improve on when his tee shot found the sand at the ninth - his last.
But his chip came out perfectly and snaked it’s way left to right into the centre of the cup to secure a share of the lead.
“I thought I was right up on the bank and I was delighted to see that it had gone in the bunker to be honest,” he said.
“It was still an extremely difficult bunker shot but one of those rare things happened where not only did I put the ball on the green but I managed to get it in the hole which was great because it was a very difficult shot. All you can ask for is that you hit a good bunker shot and, even if it had finished six feet from the hole I would have been happy, but the fact that it went in was a real sweetener at the end of the day.
“I played really well all day – I made only two bogeys and they were really down to the wind as opposed to bad shots. I played well, started off great with three birdies in a row with good shots all the way. I played well all day and to hole that bunker shot to tie the lead is great.
“On the eighth hole I had 151 yards to the green and I had to hit five iron so it certainly was extreme. The greens are difficult enough as it is, but it just shows that I was chipping well and pitching them close and putting well too. You really have to commit to the shots out there in that kind of wind. You have to make up your mind, commit and be positive and I managed to do that all day and hit a lot of good shots.”
Suneson, who represented England at amateur level, carded four birdies on his outward nine and at one point was five under alongside Haeggman, but back to back bogeys on his closing holes set him back.
Butterfield’s round contained five birdies and two bogeys, as did 20 year old Goya’s. wede to represent Europe in the Ryder Cup, but he was back at the Qualifying School last November in a bid to reignite his career. He has already had a top-10 finish at the Joburg Open.
Level par after a front-nine 35, the 39-year-old birdied the 10th and then had four in a row from the 12th to move one ahead of Spain's Carl Suneson and two in front of former England amateur champion Paul Waring.
Roger Chapman, returning to the circuit for the first time in nearly two and a half years as preparation for his joining the Seniors Tour in May, had to be content with a four-over 75.
Italian Costantino Rocca, now 52 and taking a break from the over-50s circuit, was one over along with 2006 winner Jean Van de Velde.
SCOTSWATCH:
Scott Drummond was the leading Scot in the clubhouse with a level par 71, one ahead of David Drysdale and three ahead of Andrew Coltart, Callum Macaulay and Aberdonian Graham Gordon, the former Scottish amateur champion and Walker Cup player, making a rare appearance on the European Tour.
Richie Ramsay had a 73 and Steven O'Hara a 75, Chris Doak a 79 and there were 83s apiece for Peter Whiteford and George Murray.

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European Tour Scoreboard
MADEIRA ISLANDS OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP.
FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 71
66 Joakim Haeggman (Swe), Damien McGrane
68 Carl Suneson (Spa), Andrew Butterfield, Estanislao Goya (Arg)
69 Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra), Wil Besseling (Ned), Alvaro Velasco (Spa), Michael Mcgeady, Paul Waring, Santiago Luna (Spa), Michael Hoey
70 Stuart Davis, Jesus Maria Arruti (Spa), Richard McEvoy, Paul Broadhurst
71 Garry Houston, Christian Nilsson (Swe), Jan Are Larsen (Nor), Jean Van de Velde (Fra), Scott Drummond, Javier Colomo (Spa), Jose Manuel Lara (Spa), Gary Clark, Niclas Fasth (Swe), Emanuele Canonica (Ita), Michele Reale (Ita)
72 Thomas Aiken (Rsa), Adilson Da Silva (Bra), David Griffiths, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe), Branden Grace (Rsa), Per-Ulrik Johansson (Swe), Anthony Wall, Jose-Filipe Lima (Por), David Drysdale, Gary Boyd, Costantino Rocca (Ita), Bradley Dredge
73 Richie Ramsay, Ake Nilsson (Rsa), David Horsey, Birgir Hafthorsson (Ice), Carlos Rodiles (Spa), Hugo Santos (Por), Marc Cayeux (Zim), Matthew Mills, Andrew Willey, Bernd Wiesberger (Aut)
74 Carlos Del Moral (Spa), Roope Kakko (Fin), Ulrich Van Den Berg (Rsa), Robert Coles, Andrew Coltart, Klas Eriksson (Swe), Clodomiro Carranza (Arg), Alexandre Rocha (Bra), Nicolas Vanhootegem (Bel), Gary Lockerbie, John E Morgan, Graham Gordon, Callum Macaulay, Michael Jonzon (Swe), Ricardo Santos (Por)
75 David Carter, Liam Bond, Roger Chapman, Steven O'Hara, Simon Wakefield, Anthony Snobeck (Fra), Andre Bossert (Swi), Scott Barr (Aus), Matthew Morris, Nathan T Smith (USA), Marcel Siem (Ger), Phillip Price, Dominique Nouailhac (Fra), Inder Van Weerelt (Ned), Thomas Feyrsinger (Aut), Antonio Sobrinho (Por), Ignacio Garrido (Spa)
76 Martin Wiegele (Aut), Simon Robinson, Jonathan Caldwell, Jeppe Huldahl (Den), Francois Delamontagne (Fra), Kane Webber (USA), Tiago Cruz (Por), Iain Pyman, Sam Walker, Lee Slattery, Nuno Henriques (Por), Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa), James Kamte (Rsa)
77 Pedro Linhart (Spa), Rolf Muntz (Ned), Federico Colombo (Ita), Antti Ahokas (Fin), Sion Bebb, Julien Clement (Swi), Rafael Echenique (Arg), Johan Wahlqvist (Swe)
78 Richard Bland, Chris Wood, Mikko Korhonen (Fin), David Lynn, Antonio Rosado (Por), Petter Bocian (Swe), Taco Remkes (Ned), Michael Curtain (Aus)
79 Alex Haindl (Rsa), Chris Gane, Patrik Sjoland (Swe), Antonio Dantas (Por), Marco Ruiz (Par), Nuno Campino (Por), Alessandro Tadini (Ita), Matthew Millar (Aus), Tyrone Ferreira (Rsa), Chris Doak
80 Luke Gough, Raphael De Sousa (Swi), Eirik Tage Johansen (Nor), Fabrizio Zanotti (Par), Stuart Manley, Ben Mason
81 John Mellor, Marcus Higley, Pedro Figueiredo (Por), Joao Pedro Sousa (Por), Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe)
82 Peter Baker, Simon Griffiths
83 George Murray, Peter Whiteford, Alfredo Garcia-Heredia (Spa), Lars Brovold (Nor), Daniel Vancsik (Arg), Simon Thornton, Philip Golding, Manuel Violas (Por)
85 Nicolas Meitinger (Ger)
88 Goncalo Braga (Por), Duarte Freitas (Por)

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Sunningdale Foursomes results

Thursday's results from the Sunningdale Foursomes, (handicap match-play) were:

THIRD ROUND
J Kemp & M Wharton (John O'Gaunt) (scr) bt L Collins & J Blackburn (Mendip Spring) (+1) at 22nd.

R Steele (Kenilworth) & J Freeman (Worksop) (+2) bt J Moore & A Raitt (St George's Hill) (+1) 2 and 1.

A Wainwright (Oulton Hall) & A Ambler (Walton Golf Centre) (+2) bt K Ferrie & L Ball (Matfen Hall) (3) 2 and 1.

J Sainsbury & E Hodgson (Sunningdale) (scr) bt P Trow (Hendon) & C Elliott (Burnham & Beeches) (+2) 3 and 2.

E Keenan & F Keenan (Sunningdale) (4) bt H Fitzgerald & R Beadles (Royal Worlington) (3) 4 and 2.

K Staunton & B St John (Woodcote Park) (+2) bt J Kelly & J Gidney (Church Stretton) (scr) 1 hole.

S Nightingale & J Doherty (Worthing) (scr) bt W Bowe (Workington) & J Longcake (Silloth) (scr) 4 and 3.

T Shadbolt (Mid Herts) & M Laskey (The Shire) (+1) bt N Mitchell & N Hart (Newbury Golf Centre) (+2) 6 and 5.

QUARTER-FINALS
Kemp & Wharton bt Steele & Freeman 6 and 5.

Stansbury & Hodgson bt Wainwright & Ambler 2 and 1.

E Keenan & F Keenan bt Staunton & St John 3 and 2.

Shadbolt & Laskey bt Nightingale & Doherty 3 and 2.

SEMI-FINALS (Friday morning)

Kemp & Wharton v Stansbury & Hodgson

Keenan & Keenan v Shadbolt & Laskey

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Dazzling Chapchai sets Asian Tour

scoring record of 20-under 124

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ASIAN TOUR
New Delhi, March 19: Thai stand-out Chapchai Nirat established a new 36-hole scoring record on the Asian Tour when he fired a second successive 10-under-par 62 for a four-shot lead at the SAIL Open on Thursday.
The big-hitting Chapchai maintained his dazzling form at the Classic Golf Resort to head the field with a staggering 20-under-par 124 aggregate after two rounds, which bettered the previous 36-hole low by three strokes.
Chasing his third victory on the Asian Tour, the 25-year-old Thai, who is nicknamed ‘King Kong’ for his long-driving abilities, sank 11 birdies and dropped his first bogey of the tournament as he matched his first round heroics where he had set a new course record 62.
New Zealand’s Mark Purser maintained the birdie blitz at the Classic course by carding a 63 to trail by four strokes in the US$300,000 event, which is celebrating its second edition. The Asian Tour rookie rolled in nine birdies for an unblemished card.
Wisut Artjanawat, one of Thailand’s upcoming players, fired a 64 to lie a further stroke back on 129 while talented Indian Gaganjeet Bhullar, who secured his first professional victory in a domestic Indian event last week, returned a 64 as well to lie in fourth place, seven shots off the pace.
With conditions warming up during the day, Chapchai’s golf was equally hot as he maintained his march towards his first title of the season.
“I didn’t realise that it would turn out to be so impressive. My putting has been fantastic. I made one-putts on the first six holes and had 23 putts in total,” said a delighted Chapchai, who registered seven birdies in eight holes from the second to ninth holes on the front nine.
He sank four more birdies on his homeward stretch although he dropped a bogey at the 13th following a wayward drive into the trees. Chapchai is confident he can steamroll his way to the SAIL Open title.
“The course is very suitable to my game. I can reach all the par fives in two and the par four holes present birdie opportunities because the fairways are pretty open. But the greens were faster today which made it tricky,” said Chapchai, who shared the previous 36-hole record with David Howell of England and Filipino Frankie Minoza.
Purser, whose father Bryan was a badminton doubles bronze medallist at the 1978 Edmonton Commonwealth Games, continued to impress in his maiden season in Asia. He was seventh at the Asian Tour International in Thailand and tied for 10th place at the Singha Thailand Open two weeks ago.
“I holed every putt today and my iron-play was exceptional. I capitalized on a good start after making birdies on the second, third and fourth holes. I feel I’m on a roll at the moment after the top-10s in my last two events,” said the lanky Purser.
Highly rated Bhullar will be hoping to break through on the Asian Tour and credited his iron play for keeping him within sight of the runaway leader. “All my putts were within 10 feet. I also did well with the lob wedge and sand wedge. My victory last week has given me a lot of confidence. I’m hitting the ball well and I have this good feeling about my game.”
Singapore’s Mardan Mamat and Filipino Antonio Lascuna share fifth place on 132 after matching rounds of 67s.
The halfway cut was set at 140 with 67 players qualifying for the final two rounds, including pre-tournament favourite Jyoti Randhawa of India who shot a 69 for tied 53rd position.

LEADING SECOND ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
124 - Chapchai Nirat (THA) 62-62
128 - Mark Purser (NZL) 65-63
129 - Wisut Artjanawat (THA) 65-64
131 - Gaganjeet Bhullar IND) 67-64
132 - Mardan Mamat (SIN) 65-67, Antonio Lascuna (PHI) 65-67
133 - Richard Moir (AUS) 66-67, Prom Meesawat (THA) 68-65, Mars Pucay (PHI) 67-66
134 - Shiv Kapur (IND) 68-66, Will Yanagisawa (USA) 68-66, Anirban Lahiri (IND) 72-62, C. Muniyappa (IND) 68-66, Rahil Gangjee (IND) 67-67
135 - Sujjan Singh IND) 69-66, Ashok Kumar IND) 67-68, Ross Bain (SCO) 67-68, Sushi Ishigaki (JPN) 68-67, Thammanoon Srirot (THA) 67-68, Keith Horne (RSA) 68-67, Artemio Murakami (PHI) 67-68

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Dale's Portuguese amateur success gets

him a place in European Tour event

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
Dale Whitnell’s reward for winning the recent Portuguese amateur championship is an entry into the Estoril Open de Portugal at Oitavos Dunes Golf Club from April 2 to 5.
It will be the Essex man’s first taste of golf on the PGA European Tour but one which he hopes will be commonplace after he turns professional at the end of the forthcoming season.
“It will be good to play in my first European Tour event and I’m really looking forward to it,” said the 20 year old who plays out of the Five Lakes club near his home in Tiptree. “It will give me a chance to gauge myself against the professionals and to see if I’m getting to where I need to be with my game.
“I’m not there at the moment but I’m bound to learn a lot and it will show me my strengths and weaknesses.”
Whitnell’s success in the Portuguese amateur championship, in which he beat fellow international and good friend Jamie Abbott in a play-off, has provided him with a successful start to a season which he hopes will climax with the Walker Cup before he joins the professionals.
The Portugal Open will also complete a busy spell for Whitnell as it follows the international with Spain at La Reserva this weekend (March 21-22) and the European Nations Cup at Sotogrande (March 25-28).

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Aussie government to pay Tiger Woods

$3million to play in Melbourne Masters

The Australian governament is to pay Tiger Woods' appearance fee of three million dollars to to play in the Australian Masters in November. It will be his first tournament appearance in Australia since 1998.
An Australian government spokesman confirmed premier John Brumby’s comments in a Melbourne newspaper that Woods would play in the November 12 to 15 event at Kingston Heath.
“We are delighted Tiger Woods has chosen to come to Melbourne, further cementing our position as the major events capital of the world,” Brumby told the Herald Sun newspaper. Melbourne also hosts the Australian Open, the first of four majors each year on the international tennis circuit, and the season-opening Formula One Grand Prix.
Premier Brumby predicted the visit by the world’s top golfer would earn Victoria State $12.54 million in economic benefits, which would offset Woods’ $3 million appearance fee.
Woods has recently returned from an eight-month layoff following season-ending knee surgery last year after winning the U.S. Open, his 14th career major.
Stuart Appleby, among the Australians who regularly compete against Woods on the US PGA Tour, said it was a coup for golf Down Under, even in the economic climate.
“It will be great for the game and bring out a lot of people who haven’t seen him before in person, not on a video game,” said Appleby. “There’s a lot of people hurting in Australia, and they might look negatively that one guy is paid $3 million just to turn up. The common man won’t understand the business model because the government is paying for it. They might not see the money he brings in.”
But he predicted huge galleries for Woods at Kingston Heath.
“Tiger has not been down here since the Presidents Cup,” Appleby said. “He’s been to Asia multiple times. He’s been to Europe multiple times. I think it’s good that he’s bringing his game to Australia.”
Woods, who was not immediately available for comment, is very selective about his appearances outside of the United States.It will be Woods’ fourth tournament appearance Down Under and first since the 1998 Presidents Cup, when the U.S. lost to the International team at Royal Melbourne.
+++Tiger Woods announced today he will make his third appearance of the season when he defends his title at next week's Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. Woods has won at Bay Hill five times, including last year, when he sank a 24-foot putt on the 72nd hole to beat Bart Bryant by a stroke.

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