New Delhi, 05-04-2013
Ormbsy looks for the breakthrough; Chowrasia lying third at Panasonic Open India
Even as the well-travelled Australian Wade Ormsby is seeking his first professional title, the second placed Lam Chih-bing is trying to end a five-year title drought at the Panasonic Open India 2013. Right behind them is India’s own SSP Chowrasia at six-under with successive rounds of 69.
Ormsby, 33, added a second straight 67 to move to 10-under 134, while Chih-Bing had a bogey-bogey finish to drop from 10-under to eight-under in second place.
Four behind the leader is the seasoned 56-year-old Thai Boonchu Ruangkit and India’s two-time winner on Asian and European Tours, SSP Chowrasia, who was India’s leading man. Chowrasia, who shot a second straight 69 to be six-under, while Ruangkit added a four-under 68 to his first round 70.
The Delhi Golf Club is playing uncharacteristically tough with swirling winds making the scoring conditions difficult. The cut fell at five-over, one of the highest in recent memory, and 68 players including 32 Indians made the weekend rounds.
The second best Indian Shiv Kapur (71-68) may well have been higher than his fifth place, but for a double bogey on the sixth, his 15th hole, while the steady Digvijay Singh (71-71) was tied seventh alongside five others, including youngsters S Chikkrangappa, who shot a flawless 70, and Amardip SInh Malik (71-71). One shot behind them were three more Indians, Anirban Lahiri (71-72), local man Chiragh Kumar (70-73) and the seasoned Gulfam (71-72), known as Pappan to his friends at the DGC.
As many as 32 Indians made the weekend rounds as the cut fell at five-over. Prominent Indians missing the cut were Gaganjeet Bhullar (76-75) and Himmat Rai (75-76). Also missing the cut was Oliver Wilson (78-82).
Chowrasia, not getting ahead of himself, said, “I played fairly well in the conditions and two successive three-under rounds is quite alright in these conditions, which are more difficult that normal. I had four birdies, all from short distances and one bogey on the 12th, where my 5-Iron got stuck in the bank of the bunker. I had to chip out and took a bogey.
When asked about the conditions, he added, “It was quite windy and with the directions and speed changing, so it became challenging at tough at times. I am happy with my position and taking things as they come.”
Speaking of his round, he said, “The good thing was I got birdies on three of the four par-fives. On the 14th, the 18th and the eighth. My other birdie came on par-3 fifth. I was also happy with a couple of good par saves on sixth and ninth. That kind of a save also gives you confidence.”
Kapur was understandably upset with the double bogey, but quickly put it behind him. Describing his round, he said, “I struck the ball solidly and things were going great till the double on the back nine (on the sixth). I had six birdies and ended with a 68. I started from the tenth and had birdies on the 11th, 12th, 14th and 18th on the first nine (the back stretch of the course) and then with birdies on first and fourth I was six under.
(On the sixth) I had a poor tee shot and to add to that it hit a TV cable and went into the bushes. I had to take a penalty drop and did not manage the up-and-down and ended with a double.”
“It was windy, today as well. It has actually been blustery and it has been swirling and not consistent, so you are not sure. On a tree-lined course, this kind of windy conditions can be tricky, but in an open course, it is constant.”
A year ago when Ormsby came to the Panasonic Open after earning his card through the Qualifying School, he finished tied 10th and he had another top-10 at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters.
Ormsby played his first full season in Europe in 204 and thereafter kept losing his card but also kept getting it back via the Qualifying School. He also played the Nationwide Tour, the second rung Tour in US in 2008, and then finally found his calling on Asian Tour.
“It was a tough day out there today and I’m really happy with my round. I had to fight pretty hard on my back-nine which was tricky as I lost my rhythm a bit like most of the guys out there today,” said Ormsby after the round.
He added, “There were lots of cross winds and it was tricky to try and keep them in the fairways. I just have to keep doing what I’ve been doing. My short game was fantastic today and hopefully that continues.”
When asked about the challenging DGC, he said, “We all know what this golf course is like and we just have to keep our heads down and keep going. Hopefully, when I add up all the numbers on Sunday, I’ll still be right up there.”
Lam faced one of the biggest tests in the career as he heads into the weekend round two shots off the lead. The Singaporean knows that he will need to stay focused to grind out a victory at Delhi Golf Club this week. “You can know the course very well but you still have to perform,” said Lam. “I’m very happy to be where I’m. It certainly wasn’t easy out there today I felt I played solid. It was a disappointing finish but three-under for today is a very good score.”
Starting on the back-nine 10th, the 36-year-old Lam looked set to be cruising home with a bigger advantage but stumbled home with two bogeys on his closing eighth and ninth holes.
“I kind of misjudged my second shot on the eighth hole. I was in the rough and I misjudged the wind which just took it left and I couldn’t get it up and down,” said Lam. “Ninth hole was just a really tough pin. I was two yards out from getting into a really good position but ended up in the bunker. I had a really tough time trying to get it up and down again,” added Lam.
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