Charl Schwartzel acknowledges the crowd after sinking his putt during the second round of the Thailand Golf Championship at Amata Spring Country Club, yesterday.
South African four shots ahead at Thailand Championship
Charl Schwartzel shot back-to-back 65s to retain his clubhouse lead after a rain-hit second round of the US$1-million Thailand Golf Championship at the Amata Spring Country Club yesterday.
The lean South African cruised through the 7,453-yard layout for his second successive error-free round and a total 14-under-par 130 to grab a four shot advantage over Daniel Chopra of Sweden.
"It has been really solid. I've put two great rounds together. I hit the ball really nice and gave myself a lot of chances. Those that I missed I was fortunate to get up and down to save pars. Those are the ones that keep the momentum. All in all it's been two good days," said the 28-year-old, looking to end a title drought that has lasted since his Masters win in 2011.
Unseasonal rain suspended play for 87 minutes yesterday, with bad light meaning 25 players will have to resume their second round at 7.10 this morning.
Chopra, who was born to a Swedish mother and Indian father, shot his second straight 67 for 10-under-par 134 and lone second place.
"Very pleased. It was an early [start] this morning, I wasn't quite sure how my body was going to react with the jet lag. But … I birdied the first hole and it was easy after that. I hit the ball fairly well, hit the ball a little better than I did yesterday, and I continued to putt well. So 67 is good," said Chopra, who lies one shot ahead of Japan's Masanori Kobayashi.
Starting at the back nine on 11 under, Kobayashi suffered two straight bogeys on the fifth and sixth holes followed by a birdie on the eighth and another bogey on the ninth, pushing him back to nine-under-par 135.
"I'm hitting a lot of good shots. I spent some time earlier this year practising here. I like the course. The fairways are wide and conditions are good," said Kobayahsi, who carded 67 yesterday for the third place.
Unfancied Thai Thitiphun Chuayprakong was also on nine under-par, when bad light ended his day after 15 holes. He will head the Thai pursuit of Schwartzel over the weekend rounds.
A large crowd of over 300 fans including former world No 9 tennis player Paradorn Srichaphan, who is planning to turn pro at golf, followed the star group that featured American Bubba Watson and Japanese sensation Ryo Ishikawa.
Wearing long hair and loose sky-blue pants, Ishikawa sank nine birdies against three bogeys to finish with a 66 and total eight-under-par 136, which placed him alone in fifth.
Watson, with a 70, trailed two shots behind to take joint sixth position along with Spanish star Sergio Garcia, with a 69, and Australian Scott Hend with a 68.
Defending champion Lee Westwood shot 69 to take joint ninth along with Jbe Kruger of South Africa, 70, Darren Beck of Australia, 70, and Thaworn Wiratchant, with a second round 70. All are on five-under-par 139 for a share of ninth.
"It was just okay, I played alright. I wasn't making anything. You don't shoot 20-under through two rounds very often and when you do, you make a lot of putts. I've made nothing the first two days and left too many out there. Missed too many short ones which is the main difference really," said Westwood who has bagged two titles this year. Thaworn said the rain made the greens slow, which affected his game. His hopes of a second home win this year after the Queen's Cup in Samui are now slim.
"If I can play under-par for the next two days, I will be very happy. Somehow I don't feel that I have a chance of winning on this golf course because it is playing long and difficult," added the Tour's current prize-money leader.
Boonchu Ruangkit made the cut after shooting a 144, making him the oldest man in history to win an Asian Tour card, at the age of 54.
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