India’s S.S.P. Chawrasia and Anirban Lahiri struggled under windy conditions as they scored an even-par 72 and three-over 75 to be placed tied 37th and tied 61st respectively in the second round of the $8.5 million World Golf Championship (WGC) HSBC Champions here on Friday.
Chawrasia, who teed off in the back-nine 10th hole, stumbled early with a bogey on the 12th at the Sheshan International Golf Club. The 37-year-old Kolkatan birdied the 14th but immediately gave that shot back with another bogey on the 15th.
After turning in 37, Chawrasia mixed two birdies (sixth and eighth) and another bogey (seventh) to sign for a 72 that took his two-day total to three-under 141 — one stroke behind Kevin Kisner of the US.
However, the three-time winner on the Asian Tour believes there is still everything to play for when the weekend round commences.
“No problem. I can catch up with the leaders very easily if I continue to putt well. The scores were not as low as yesterday and that’s largely because of the wind,” said world No.241 Chawrasia in an Asian Tour release.
“No doubt the winds created lots of problems for us out there today. I’ve not been hitting the ball well today but that’s because the winds had some part to play.”
World No.37 Lahiri had a round to forget after he returned with a 75 that left him tied 61st. The 28-year-old had a horrible start as he dropped the 10th and 12th after starting from the back-nine. He got a birdie on the 14th to move one-over 37.
Then, the Bengalurean played six consecutive holes in a flawless manner before birding the seventh. But a double-bogey on the par-five eighth again marred his good work as he also dropped the shot on the final hole for a 75.
Meanwhile, World No.34 Kisner played through the back pain barrier by carding a six-under 66 to take a two-stroke lead over Scotland’s Russell Knox at the halfway stage of the Shanghai showpiece with his two-day total of 14-under-par 130.
Four strokes off the pace was overnight leader Branden Grace of South Africa, who signed for a 71 to take the third place ahead of China’s Li Hao-Tong and Patrick Reed of the United States.
Australia’s Scott Hend, second on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, remained in the hunt for his first WGC after he added a 69 to his first round 68 to take a share of ninth place.
Kisner, who is making his debut in the tournament after gaining a late spot in the field having been seventh reserve, picked up two shots over the last three holes after an impressive outward 32 to take his place atop the leaderboard.
While he was happy with his flawless 66, the 31-year-old is hoping his back pain will ease as he heads into the weekend rounds in a commanding position.
World No.2 Jordan Spieth, meanwhile, needed a birdie on the last to save his round after a run of three bogeys from the 11th had threatened to derail it.
American Spieth, winner of this year’s Augusta Masters and the US Open, shared the 27th place with nine other golfers that included Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and World No.3 Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland.
“I’m pleased with the way that I bounced back got two more coming in. Because it looked like I could have just bogeyed in,” said 22-year-old Spieth.
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