SIDDIKUR LEADS BY TWO AT HERO INDIAN OPEN HALFWAY

NEWS RELEASE FROM ASIAN TOUR

Delhi, November 8: Siddikur tightened his grip at the weather-interrupted Hero Indian Open with a second round six-under-par 66 on Friday to put himself in position to end a title jinx at the Delhi Golf Club.

The Bangladeshi opened with an eagle and holed a 20-footer birdie putt on the last for a 12-under-par 132 total, two shots ahead of Chapchai Nirat of Thailand, who posted a 68 at the US$1.25 million Asian Tour event.

Multiple Asian Tour winners Angelo Que (68) of the Philippines and S.S.P. Chowrasia (68) of India were a further five shots back from Siddikur at the venerable Delhi Golf Club.

The halfway stage of the Hero Indian Open was suspended due to darkness as thick fog delayed the start of round two for over an hour in the morning. A total of 26 players will return at 7.15am Saturday to complete the round.

Siddikur, the first Bangladeshi to play and win on the Asian Tour in 2010, took advantage of his straight hitting game and a hot putter, making 27 putts at the venerable Delhi Golf Club.

“I played aggressively again and I’m really enjoying this new style of play. I didn’t do anything exceptional in my game but I’m just enjoying the way I’m playing now. My game was excellent thanks largely to my short game,” smiled Siddikur.

The 29-year-old has enjoyed solid results at the Delhi Golf Club but is still without a victory at the challenging course where he finished second at the 2011 SAIL Open and 2012 Panasonic Open India.

“This course is like my home course! I have good memories here. With the way I’m playing, I think it is time to win. I won’t do anything special but I will continue to play aggressively,” Siddikur added.

Chapchai endured a lean spell since setting a 72-hole world scoring record with a 32-under-par 256 in India in 2009 en route to winning his third Asian Tour title.

The big-hitting Thai has been struggling on the greens but turned the corner after reverting to a belly putter in September.

“When I was using my old putter, I tend to open or close the putter face when I putt. That never happens with the belly putter. My scores have certainly improved since I changed putter,” said the 30-year-old Chapchai.

Chowrasia, a two-time Asian Tour winner, traded five birdies against one bogey to put himself in prime position to win the prestigious Hero Indian Open title after finishing second in 1999 and 2006.

“I’ve played well at Delhi Golf Club and I have very good memories here. I will keep that in mind when I’m playing in the last two days,” said Chowrasia.

The flamboyant Que charged into contention for his fourth Asian Tour win without playing a practice round at the Hero Indian Open.

“I’ve sort of struggled a bit in the past few events, mostly with my putting. I’ve been working on that. I don’t want to change putters. I think it is just my eyes deceiving me. I just need to trust my line and my stroke,” said Que.

 

LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

Par 144 (2x72) Yardage: 6983

132 - SIDDIKUR  (BAN) 66-66.

134 - Chapchai NIRAT (THA) 66-68.

137 - Angelo QUE (PHI) 69-68, S.S.P. CHOWRASIA (IND) 69-68.

138 - Chawalit PLAPHOL (THA) 70-68, Pariya JUNHASAVASDIKUL (THA) 66-72, BAEK Seuk-hyun (KOR) 69-69, Anirban LAHIRI (IND) 71-67, Sanjay KUMAR (IND) 70-68.

139 - Mardan MAMAT (SIN) 66-73.

140 - Javi COLOMO (ESP) 69-71, Shamim KHAN (IND) 68-72, Kwanchai TANNIN (THA) 70-70.

141 - Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) 71-70, Unho PARK (AUS) 68-73, Randhir Singh GHOTRA (IND) 72-69, Scott BARR (AUS) 71-70, Manav JAINI (IND) 72-69, Antonio LASCUNA (PHI) 71-70, Shiv KAPUR (IND) 75-66, Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA) 71-70.

142 - Ryan MCCARTHY (AUS) 71-71, Matthew STIEGER (AUS) 69-73, Sattaya SUPUPRAMAI (THA) 69-73, Chinnarat PHADUNGSIL (THA) 75-67, David LIPSKY (USA) 72-70, Michael THOMPSON (USA) 72-70, Jake HIGGINBOTTOM (AUS) 72-70, Mithun PERERA (LKA) 70-72, CHAN Yih-shin (TPE) 70-72.