CROWNE PLAZA OPEN RELATED STORIES Crowne Plaza Open Preview Round 1: Thaworn grabs lead in rain-hit first round Round 2: Chapchai and Singh share lead Round 3: In-form Lu ties Singh for lead Round 4: Final Scores & Prize Money ASIAN GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Lam Masters the art of winning Thongchai on a double hat-trick Thongchai does Indochina double Tour card battle in Cambodia Thongchai gets the job done Report predicts 30% China golf growth GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Geoff Ogilvy leads in Hawaii Pair lead with opening 63s Olazabal warns again complacency Els makes happy Hawaiian landing Amateur: 'Big as a bucket' - true!

 Chapchai and Singh share lead

Thai rookie sensation Chapchai Nirat and India's Digvijay Singh battled into a share of the halfway lead at the US$200,000 Crowne Plaza Open on Friday.

The 22-year-old Chapchai fired a sparkling six-under-par 66 which included six birdies and one eagle at Grand Epoch City Golf Club and his two-day aggregate of four-under-par 140 was matched by Singh.

The Indian returned early Friday to complete four holes of his suspended first round and signed for a 68. After a quick break, he went out to shoot a second round 72 to earn himself a shot at a first Asian Tour title.

Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand endured a rollercoaster day with five birdies against as many bogeys for a 72 to lie one off the pace going into the weekend. Australian Marcus Both was tied with Thaworn after a 69.

Chapchai has made headlines this month, first earning a share of the first round lead at the Singapore Open, dubbed "Asia's Major" due to its US$2 million purse, before finishing 11th. He went on to post a runner-up outing behind Thaworn at the Taiwan Open two weeks ago.

After struggling with a 74 on Thursday, the burly Chapchai wielded a different driver this morning and reaped immediate rewards with a solid driving display that allowed him to attack the pins. His six birdies were from close range while the highlight was a sensational chip-in eagle on the par five third hole.

"I've been playing a lot of golf of late, and this is actually my 13th week playing in tournaments, on both the Asian Tour and domestic circuit events back home. I guess I've gained a lot of experience and confidence over the weeks.

"I would like to win a big title but as this is my first year on the Asian Tour, it may seem like a ambitious goal. If I do win this year, it'll be great but my aim is simply to give it my best every time I tee up," said Chapchai.

Singh has played in Asia for many years and is waiting for a career breakthrough. However, the Indian, who is the brother-in-law to former Asian number one Jyoti Randhawa, is not getting ahead of himself.

"I played the remaining four holes nicely this morning and then started my second round well with two birdies on the second and third holes. My bogeys on nine and 10 were results of missing the greens due miscalculation and over-aggression.

"I'm playing quite nicely, so we'll see what happens. I'm not going to think about a first win as there is no point in getting ahead of myself. I'm just going out to enjoy the round," said Singh.

Like on Thursday, Thaworn, chasing his third win of the year, endured a stuttering start with three bogeys in his opening four holes before salvaging an even par round on what is proving to be a challenging Grand Epoch City layout.

Two more Thais, Prayad Marksaeng and upcoming star Prom Meesawat, are lurking on 142, two strokes off the pace alongside Ecuador's Rafael Ponce.

China's best placed golfer was Liang Wen-chong, who carded a second round 71 for tied 17th place on 145 while Australian Glenn Joyner produced the tournament's first hole in one with an eight iron at the par three eighth hole.

The halfway cut was set at seven-over-par 151, with 70 players qualifying for the weekend.

September 30, 2005