Ishikawa and Nirat share Singapore lead
singapore — Ryo Ishikawa moved into a share of the lead at the halfway stage of the Singapore Open on Saturday, raising hopes the former teen prodigy can finally win a tournament away from home.
Ishikawa completed his weather-interrupted second round with a 5-under 66 to join Chapchai Nirat in a two-way tie for the lead at 7-under 135 at Sentosa Golf Club.
Masters champion Sergio Garcia was in a five-man group, a further stroke back at 6-under, but on a heavily congested leaderboard where the top 29 players were within three shots of the lead.
Garcia, who held a share of the first-round lead, birdied the final hole to end a run of eight straight pars and shot a second-round 70.
“I felt like I hit the ball OK,” Garcia said. “My putting and all went great but my speed hasn’t been great on this green so let’s see if I can be a little more aggressive on the rounds this weekend.”
The Spaniard credits the Singapore Open as having played a part in toughening him up for his first major championship title at Augusta National because of the tough conditions and stifling humidity of southeast Asia.
Although he finished tied for 11th in Singapore, Garcia won the Dubai Desert Classic the next week and was in peak form when he won the Masters two months later. And he’s already feeling confident of his chances of success this weekend, but hoping for better luck with the weather.
“Let’s see if we can finish the round, that will be nice,” he said. “But I think if I can play 4-under I should have a chance.” —