Gotemba (Japan), Oct 4 (IANS) The Indian quartet of Krishnav Chopraa (68), Vedant Sirohi (69), Kartik Singh (71) and Rakshit Dahiya (75) did not get to see any action as the day was hit by fog and rain and there was a delay of six and a half hours in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Golf Championship.
Japan’s Rintaro Nakano took a late one-stroke lead at seven-under over China’s Wenyi Ding during the second round of the event as the round was suspended due to darkness on Friday evening. The second round was delayed by six and a half hours due to fog and heavy rain, including four inches overnight at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba.
The Indians will play their second round in the morning and then wait for the cut to see if they make the final two rounds.
“There is little we can do,” said Kartik Singh, who along with Krishnav Chopraa, Sirohi and Dahiya came to the course and practiced on the putting green. “Weather stoppages and delays are part of golf,” said Chopraa with a laugh. “We are all used to it.”
They will all go out early in the morning on Saturday and hope to finish their second and some part of the third round.
Second-round play got underway at 1 p.m. with the morning wave of players facing damp conditions. Players in the afternoon wave did not tee off on Friday.
Nakano countered a bogey at the 14th with birdies at Nos. 13, 15 and 18 to turn at two-under on the day. After the turn, he added a late birdie at the third, a hole he eagled on Thursday, to claim a one-stroke lead over Ding.
Ding, the highest-ranked player in the field at fifth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, made the most of the soft conditions to notch up birdies at the 13th, 16th and 18th to move to six-under and one shot back of the lead with playing partner Nakano.
“I’m going to go to bed earlier,” joked Nakano after the long weather delay. “I’m up early in the morning tomorrow, so recovery is important…Today was a long and difficult day waiting.”
Ding has made it clear that he will be professional, even if he wins this week, which means he will forfeit his chance to play the 2025 Masters and the 2025 Open. A place in the two coveted Majors is the most sought prize in amateur golf.
First-round leader Randy Bintang from Indonesia remained at five-under and did not begin his second round on Friday as a member of the afternoon wave.
The second round will be completed on Saturday with the leading 60 players and ties progressing to the third round.
–IANS
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