At the halfway stage of the Avantha Masters, Chapchai Nirat and Liang Wen-chong are tied at the top of the leaderboard with a two shot lead over the field.
Wen-chong Liang / Getty Images
Wen-chong, from China, last won an event in 2007, the Singapore Masters, and is keen to record his second European Tour victory. He said after his second round, which included eight birdies, to get to his tournament total of -12 under par;
” I managed to hole several long putts, although I got two bogeys. I couldn’t have asked for a better round, some of my best golf. I’ve had a good break with my family and I’m back feeling all recharged. I’ve learnt to be patient and my playing experience from all over the world has taught me well. There are two more rounds to go and hopefully, I can be atop the leaderboard like today.”
Chapchai Nirat, also at -12 under par, had seven birdies and one bogey for his second round of 66 on the Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort course. Chapchai has also not won since 2009 at the Asian Tour SAIL Open. He admitted that luck played a part in his round today;
” I played very well indeed, this is a very long course and I managed to hit the balls long the last two days. I also managed to hole several long putts as well and luck did play a part in getting me to my position today.”
The next group of players, at -10 under par are, Nirat’s compatriot Chawalit Plaphol, Scot David Drysdale, England’s Tommy Fleetwood and the Finn, Joonas Granberg.
As is usually the case, runaway overnight leader Chinnarat Phadungsil could not maintain his incredible opening round form, sadly he took 12 shots more to complete the back nine second time around. He is now in a tie for eighth place at -9 under par.
David Drysdale likes this course, and thinks it suits him well;
” The golf course gives you a lot of opportunities for birdies, the par fives are all in reach so it’s been a steady two days. I got through the turn today at nine under and expected to be four or five behind at that point after the lad shooting 11 under yesterday, but saw he had come back to the field so that was a pleasant surprise. In the pro-am on Wednesday I was thinking it would be somewhere in the twenties under par that would win this week, especially if the weather stays like this and the wind doesn’t get up. After someone shoots 11 under you are just trying to shoot as many birdies as you can. When I first saw the course I thought it was a bit of a bomber’s paradise, it looks wide from the tee but actually it’s not that wide and it’s quite a good design, quite narrow which suits me a little bit.”
