Barr takes one-shot lead in second round
Australian Scott Barr helped raise nearly S$65,000 ($311,300) for the tsunami relief effort in a fund-raiser in Singapore last month. Now, he is trying to take care of some personal business by winning the tsunami-driven Thailand Open in Phuket.
Barr emerged with a one-shot lead after the second round at the Blue Canyon Country Club as he searches for his first victory on the Asian Tour.
The 32-year-old Barr followed his first-round 65 with a four-under 68 for a 133 total to get his nose in front of fellow overnight leader Jeev Milkha Singh (65-69) of India. Compatriot Scott Strange (68-67) was another shot back at nine-under 131.
The Singapore-based Barr helped organise a tsunami charity day at the Sentosa Golf Club five weeks ago and was overwhelmed by the response.
'Watching the footage on television was distressing. I didn't know anyone personally involved in the disaster, but I felt we had to make an effort as we live so close.
'We raised about S$65,000 and I feel like I've done my part for the relief effort. It was good for this event to come to Phuket, but I can't get too emotional this weekend. I have a job to do,' he said.
The US$500,000 Thai Airways International event was moved from Pattaya to Phuket to help tell the world the island is a safe place to visit after the tsunami.
Barr's superb opening has stretched out the field with six shots between him and fourth-placed Shiv Kapur of India and Japanese veteran Gohei Sato.
Barr feels a 12-under 60 is not impossible on the course where Tiger Woods won in 1998, coming from six shots behind to beat Ernie Els in the Johnnie Walker Classic.
'I feel 60 is written all over this golf course,' said Barr, who pushed Colin Montgomerie close at the 2003 Macau Open.
'I hit 17 greens today and if I rolled anything it was going to be a low score. I had 17 birdie putts, but could only make four.' Singh, under pressure to win after a five-year drought, was preparing for a big battle over the weekend. 'It going to be mentally tougher,' he said.
'I'm not even going to worry about winning. I used to get ahead of myself. This time I'm just going to let it happen,' said Singh, who led into the last round of the Okinawa Open in Japan in December before finishing runner-up.
Strange, who scored his maiden win on the Asian Tour in the Myanmar Open last week, continued his good form. 'It's nice to be right up there again,' he said.
