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Sunday October 25, 2009

Mars in full flight

By S. RAMAGURU

JOHOR BARU: The rain-delayed second round of the Iskandar Johor Open was finally concluded yesterday and it was Filipino Mars Pucay who caught the eye with a superb seven-under 65 to close in on leader Himmat Rai of India.

It was also the day defending champion Retief Goosen virtually threw in the towel after finding himself eight strokes behind Rai, who finished his second round on Friday for a two-day total of 13-under 131 at the Royal Johor Country Club.

The tournament has been reduced to a 54-hole event due to inclement weather.

Hot: Mars Pucay of the Philippines shot a seven-under 65 to move up the leaderboard. — ABDUL RAHMAN EMBONG / The Star

Asian Tour honorary member K.J. Choi of South Korea and Australian Darren Beck continued to share second spot on 132 while Taiwan’s Chang Tse-peng remained third on 133.

But yesterday it was all about Pucay, who is aiming for his maiden Asian Tour win.

The Filipino added a 65 to his opening 69 to lie in tied fifth position with Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat on 134.

Starting from the back nine, Pucay opened his campaign with three consecutive birdies, starting from the 11th hole. He continued his surge up the leaderboard when his chip from 20 feet found the hole for birdie on the 16.

He added another birdie on the 18th to make the turn in 31.

Pucay kept up his impressive form and fired three more birdies on the second, third and fourth before dropping a shot on the fifth hole.

“My chipping and approach shots really helped my game. The course was a bit softer after the rain yesterday (on Friday) and it made it easier to attack the greens even when my ball was in the rough,” said the 39-year-old, who has come close to winning on the Asian Tour several times.

“I have been knocking on the door for so many times so hopefully I can hit my first big win. I am hitting the ball and putting well. So, I feel I have a huge chance for a crack at the title.”

The cut-off point was set at 142, with 67 players going through to the final round.

And, although South African Goosen was among those successful, he ruled himself out of the title race after carding a 70 to lie in joint 22nd spot on 139.

“I think I am pretty much out of the tournament and I have no chance of winning, especially with the way I am playing. I will go out there tomorrow (today) and play my best and try to improve my finish,” he said.

“I have been struggling and hitting the ball poorly and not getting myself into a position to score. That has cost me this week.”

Three-time Asian Tour winner Chinnarat Phadungsil of Thailand and South Korea’s Noh Seung-yul also kept their title hopes alive when they closed with a 69 and 68 respectively to share ninth spot on 137.

Chinnarat credited his round to his good tee shots as he found nine fairways but rued two missed opportunities when he failed to hole two three-foot putts for birdies on holes 14 and 15.

“My tee shots gave me a chance for a good round but those two missed birdies really cost me.

“I feel that I still have a chance of chasing the leader but I need to keep to my game plan of finding more fairways and hitting it close to the hole,” said the 20-year-old.

Leading second round score

(Malaysians unless stated)

131: Himmat Rai (Ind) 64-67;

132: Darren Beck (Aus) 68-64, K.J. Choi (S. Kor) 68-64;

133: Chang Tse-peng (Tpe) 65-68;

134: Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 69-65, Mars Pucay (Phi) 69-65;

135: Kodai Ichihara (Jpn) 66-69;

136: Rahil Gangjee (Ind) 67-69;

137: Chan Yih-shin (Tpe) 65-72, Panuwat Muenlek (Tha) 67-70, Jason Norris (Aus) 72-65, Chinnarat Phadungsil (Tha) 68-69, Noh Seung-yul (Kor) 69-68;

138: Anirban Lahiri (Ind) 69-69, Chris Rodgers (Eng) 70-68, Sattaya Supupramai (Tha) 69-69, Lin Wen-tang (Tpe) 67-71, Gaganjeet Bhullar 69-69, Juvic Pagunsang (Phi) 70-68, Lin Wen-hong (Tpe) 69-69;

139: Hendrik Buhrmann (Rsa) 66-73, Ashok Kumar (Ind) 70-69, Anthony Kang (US) 69-70, Lam Chi Bing (Sin) 71-68, Keith Horne (Rsa) 69-70, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 69-70, Prayad Marksaeng (Tha) 70-69, S.S. Chowrasia (Ind) 70-69;

140: Antonio Lascuna (Phi) 70-70, Des Terblanche (Rsa) 66-74, Lien Lu-sen (Tpe) 73-67, Rohan Blizard (Aus) 72-68, Chen Yuan-chi (Tpe) 65-75, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 71-69, David Branson (Aus) 71-69, Masaki Sakata (Jpn) 71-69, Thaworn Wirachant (Tha) 70-70, Angelo Que (Phi) 73-67, Kim Dae-hyun 70-70, Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Tha) 72-68.

141: C. Muniyyapa (Ind) 70-71, Iain Steel 70-71, Mo Joong-kyung (Kor) 72-69, James Kamte (Rsa) 73-68, Rashid Ismail 71-70, George Coetzee (Rsa) 71-70, Wang Ter-chang (Tpe) 70-71, Jay Bayron (Phi) 69-72, Wisut Artjanawat (Tha) 71-70, Narinrit Tantrakul (Tha) 71-70, Adam Groom (Aus) 70-71;

142: Pijit Petchkasem (Tha) 73-69, Gary Simpson (Aus) 71-71, Scott Barr (Aus) 72-70, Kang Soon-hung (Kor) 71-71, Wu Ashun (Chn) 71-71, Goh Kun-yang (Sin) 72-70, Danny Chia 69-73, Mardan Mamat (Sin) 70-72, Mark Purser (Nzl) 68-74, Marcus Both (Aus) 69-73, Udorn Duangdecha (Tha) 69-73, Digvijay Singh (Ind) 71-71, Boonchu Ruangkit (Tha) 70-72, Tim Steward (Aus) 69-73, Gavin Kyle (am) 77-65.

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