Straub strikes green on rain-hit day

Of the Indians who have finished, only Arjun Singh (71 and 72) at one under for two rounds, Basad Ali (73 and 73) and Shiv Prakash (75 and 71)with two over each are sure to make the cut. Many of the other Indians, who could be in contention for leading places in the last two rounds, were still out when the rains came. “I’ve played five weeks in a row and I’m tired, but I’m enjoying the tournament and hitting well,” said Arjun, still looking for his first win on the Tour.

Gaurav Ghei had played only six holes in round two and was level par, as was the opening day’s leader Mike Cunning, who had a 66 on the first day. Some of the others who are still to complete the second round include Firoz Ali who had played seven holes. Arjun Atwal was on the ninth hole. Both Firoz and Atwal had three under on Thursday.

However, one Indian who is sure to miss the cut is Jyoti Randhawa, who went three over in his last four holes. He has a five over 149 after two rounds.The surprises of the day were provided by Leith Wastle, a 33-year-old Australian, and Eric Epperson, a 33-old-old Texan, who showed two of the biggest swings in form in two successive rounds.Wastle, 35th on the Omega Order of Merit last year and second at the Ta Shee Open in Taiwan, had a nightmarish first round. In the first 12 holes he played on Thursday, he had two birdies and six bogeys for a four over when the rains came. If he was happy at that interruption, he must have felt worse this morning, when in six holes he had four bogeys, including three in the last three for a round of 80.

But once the first round was over, Wastle seemed to have a re-birth in golf as everything went like a song. Starting from the 10th tee, he had two birdies in first three and then one more on the 16th. But a bogey on the 17th set him back by one. He hit a birdie streak on the second nine with five birdies in six holes, including four in a row from the third to the sixth. Then came a bogey when he three-putted from the front edge on the eighth, but the six under 66 meant he was only two over for two days. And he should make the cut.

Just behind Wastle’s incredible swing of 14 strokes in two rounds wasEpperson on his first Asian Tour. After a first round 80, he had a 68 for the second day. If Wilson, the Rookie of the Year on Asian Tour is among the early leaders, there is also Ted Purdy, the Rookie of the Omega Tour in 1997, who is looking good after two solid 70s. The winner of the Hero Honda Masters in 1997 has had a bad year on the Asian Tour with two poor finishes at 66th and 38th. But on the Omega Tour he roared back with a third place at the London Myanmar. So it now remains to be seen how he does at the Classic Indian Open, the only event on both Tours.

Shaun Haberstroh, who shot a first round 73, forgot to sign his scorecard and was disqualified, as was David Hutchens for filling his scorecard wrong. He wrote 78 for 79 and went back to inform the officials himself and was penalised. Vishal Singh and Sanjay Kumar have dropped out.