2006 Barclays Singapore Open - Round 2: Kapur and Chapchai in the hunt

Young guns Shiv Kapur of India and Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat fired themselves into contention at the halfway stage of the US$3 million Barclays Singapore Open on Friday.

Kapur, last year’s Rookie of the Year on the Asian Tour, and Chapchai, who was joint first day leader of the 2005 Singapore Open before finishing a creditable 11th, are three off the pace set by tournament favourite Ernie Els and Australia’s Scott Strange after shooting 69 and 68 respectively.

Twenty-four-year-old Kapur had a steady day while Chapchai, who has a reputation as a birdie blaster, posted his three-under score despite running up a nightmarish triple bogey seven at the 10th hole.

Kapur’s victory in last year’s Volvo Masters of Asia gave him a ticket to travel the golf world in search of experience and he has put what he has learned into practice at Sentosa Golf Club.

“I played last week to get acclimatised (to playing back in Asia). It has been a long year so far and it is not done yet. I am enjoying every minute of it,” he said. “I have the chance to play in some of the greatest fields in world golf at Firestone (in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational), at the champions event in Shanghai coming up and a lot in Europe. I love it, I love competing and have no complaints about the travelling.

“I have learned a lot this year. It has not been the best year results wise. I have not been playing great - I am playing in Europe where the competition is tough. I have learned how to battle conditions.

“Playing Firestone was the greatest preparation I could have had for this week.”

Kapur came into a tournament with a clear vision of how to play the opening rounds and now that he has put himself in the hunt he will shift into overdrive.

“Out there you have to keep it in the middle of the fairway. You have got to be very patient and take your medicine. If you hit it in the rough, take a wedge, hack out and do not try and be too fancy,” said Kapur who opened and closed his second round with birdies.

“If I am a couple back with five holes to go on Sunday I am not going to hit two irons off the tee - I will hit more drivers and take my chances. It is a marathon not a sprint. I want to get in position to give myself a chance on the last nine holes on Sunday.”

The beefy Chapchai was four under at the turn but most of his good work was undone at the 10th where he ran up a triple bogey.
He hooked his ball into the rough off the tee, advanced the ball a mere 60 yards into a near unplayable lie with his next shot and failed to move it from the deep rough before eventually finding the sanctuary of the fairway.

“I took the wrong club off the tee - a driver - and hit it way left,” said Chapchai. “I got a bit moody and messed up the hole.”

But the talented Thai, who is ranked 17th on the moneylist, regrouped and two birdies on the back nine saw him end in a tie for sixth with Kapur and defending champion Adam Scott of Australia and in position for a big push at the weekend.

September 8, 2006

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