2006 Pakistan Open - Round 2: Rodgers and Mouland lead by two at halfway

Britons Mark Mouland and Chris Rodgers stood firm to share the second round lead in the Pakistan Open on Friday.

Rodgers enjoyed a bogey-free round as he fired an eight-under-par 64 to a two-day total of 11-under-par 133 while Mouland shot an equally impressive 65 at the Karachi Golf Club.

India’s Amandeep Johl, who turned 37 on Thursday, stayed in the top fray in third spot after a 67 in the US$ 200,000 event. Pakistan’s No.2 golfer Shabbir Iqbal was four strokes off the pace in tied fourth position after a 67 together with Indian ace Jeev Milkha Singh who shot a 69.

Rodgers, still fresh from his win at the Asian Tour Qualifying School on Saturday, started his day from the 10th tee and struck birdies at the 10th, 16th and third holes before enjoying a sensational run with three birdies and one eagle from the third hole. He eagled the fourth with a chip in from 30 feet and signed off his day with another birdie on nine.

“I am feeling pumped up and I’m thoroughly enjoying myself here as the conditions are good and the course is great,” said Rodgers, who is looking to improve on his previous best finish on the Asian Tour which was a second place outing at the Carlsberg Masters Vietnam last season.

“Everything worked well today. I hit a good long drive and chipped in about 30 feet for an eagle at the fourth hole which was very nice,” he said.

Asia's charge was carried by Indian duo Johl, who is searching for his maiden victory in Asia, and Singh. “I adopted a slightly aggressive approach coming to the end of the front nine as I three-putted the eighth hole but overall it was a good round,” said Singh, a four-time winner in Asia.

Johl, who was part of Asia's victorious team in last year's Visa Dynasty Cup against Japan, had two birdies and a bogey on the front nine. He then blazed past the back nine with four consecutive birdies on the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th holes before a bogey on the 15th.

“I ended off well with the final birdie on the 16th and kept calm, was quite pleased with my end result,” said Johl.

Pakistan’s Mohamed Munir shared sixth after a 68 alongside Indian duo Arjun Singh and Ashok Kumar who both shot 69 and 70 respectively.

“I managed to par the first three holes but then stumbled when I double bogeyed fourth hole which was quite a disappointment,” said Kumar.

“But that is golf, one day you’re at the top and the next day you may slip up but I will strive harder tomorrow,” he said.

England’s Jeremy Kavanagh was tied ninth after a 69 to a total of 139. Making his debut on the Asian Tour, Malaysia’s Iain Steel made it to the top 10 when he finished the round in ninth after a superb 66.

Local sensation Imdad Hussain was in tied 11th after an even-par for the day together with Australian Brad Kennedy. The Aussie, who was the runner-up in the 2003 and 2004 Malaysian Open, shot a 67. He is currently placed 20th in the UBS Order of Merit and trails the leading duo by seven strokes.

Mouland, 45, an European Tour veteran, birdied the first three holes off the start on his outward nine from the 10th and birdied four more holes on in inward journey.

“I had a very steady game today partly due to my caddie who has been spot on and I hope to maintain my momentum right through to the final day,” said Mouland, who spent 22 years on the European Tour and has previously captained the Welsh World Cup team and Welsh Dunhill Cup team.

Leading second round scores

133 - Chris Rodgers (ENG) 69-64, Mark Mouland (WAL) 68-65
135 - Amandeep Johl (IND) 68-67
137 - Shabbir Iqbal (PAK) 70-67, Jeev Milkha Singh (IND) 68-69
138 - Muhammed Munir (PAK) 70-68, Ashok Kumar (IND) 68-70, Arjun Singh (IND) 69-69
139 - Jeremy Kavanagh (ENG) 70-69, Iain Steel (MAS) 73-66
140 - Imdad Hussain (PAK) 68-72, Brad Kennedy (AUS) 73-67, Digvijay Singh (IND) 71-69, Unho Park (AUS) 71-69, Pat Giles (AUS) 68-72, Jochen Lupprian (GER) 72-68, Matloob Ahmed (PAK) 70-70
141 - Kim Tae-Jin (KOR) 74-67, Juvic Pagunsan (PHI) 73-68, Taj Nabi (PAK) 74-67, Akinori Tani (JPN) 69-72, Anura Rohana (SRI) 71-70, Atthaphon Prathummanee (THA) 74-67, Marcus Both (AUS) 70-71
142 - M. Murugiah (SIN) 70-72, Vivek Bhandari (IND) 72-70, Richard Moir (AUS) 73-69, Lee Rhind (SCO) 70-72, Barry Hume (SCO) 70-72
143 - Afsar Ali (PAK) 75-68, David Hutton (ENG) 70-73, Shahid Javed Khan (PAK) 70-73, Mardan Mamat (SIN) 76-67, Rahil Gangjee (IND) 72-71, Amritinder Singh (IND) 69-74, Sushi Ishigaki (JPN) 71-72, Vagas Ahmed [A] (PAK) 71-72
144 - Kang Ji-Man (KOR) 72-72, Olle Nordberg (SWE) 69-75, Javed Inayat (PAK) 71-73, Felix Casas (PHI) 76-68, Taimur Hussain (PAK) 72-72, Andrew Pitts (USA) 73-71, Danny Chia (MAS) 75-69, Daniel Wardrop (ENG) 74-70

January 20, 2006

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