Three players moved in lockstep from joint fifth to co-leaders at the second round of the SAIL Open at the Delhi Golf Club yesterday.
Siddikur of Bangladesh, Akinori Tani of Japan and Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat returned matching five-under-par 67s to go with their first round 68s and give them a one-shot lead at the US$300,000 event on 135, nine under par.
All three had been two shots off the lead after the first round.
Siddikur has been in sensational form since winning the Brunei Open last year, but could have been out in front on his own if he had not bogeyed the last hole after posting three birdies in each half.
“I’m happy with what I shot these two days,” the 26-year-old said. “It was excellent play. I have been playing well because I’ve been hitting good and my short game has been perfect. Everything seems to be falling into place for me.”
“This is a very challenging course and every shot is very important, especially the tee shot. I’m looking forward to the next two days,” he added.
Kiradech registered a hat-trick of birdies from the fourth hole before making a bogey on the seventh, but recovered with a birdie on the next and then matched par until he birdied the last two holes.
The Thai believes that changes he made to his putting earlier this year could be the key to winning his first Asian Tour title, after four near-misses last year.
Tani, who earned his Asian Tour card in Qualifying School earlier this year, gambled by using his driver on nine holes despite the course’s tight fairways.
“This course is very narrow but my strength in my game is accuracy and this golf course suits my game,” said the 36-year-old, twice a Japan Challenge Tour winner. “It helped that I was hitting it straight and avoided the bushes.”
India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar (69), Ajeetesh Sandhu (67) and Prom Meesawat (68) of Thailand were tied in fourth on 136 at the tournament, co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and PGTI. Home favorite Bhullar, a two-time Asian Tour winner, narrowly missed a hole-in-one on the fifth when his tee shot landed two feet from the pin.
Overnight leader Anirban Lahiri failed to mount a charge as he closed with a 71 for a 137 total, two strokes from the leaders. Philippine teen sensation Miguel Tabuena, 16, posted a 72 for a 141 total to make his first Asian Tour cut on his professional debut.
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