SSP Chawrasia takes two-shot lead at Hong Kong Open over Thomas Aiken
The Indian thrived in windy and cold conditions as others struggled, shooting 66 for a two-round total of nine-under 131
On a day when most golfers were getting it wrong, India’s SSP Chawrasia was trying to figure out what he was doing right.
The 39-year-old ranked 231 in the world was one of only a handful of golfers who defied the conditions to shoot four-under or lower as he took a two-stroke lead after the second round of the UBS Hong Kong Open at Fanling on Friday.
The first-round lead, a four-time winner on the European Tour, shot a four-under-par 66 for a two-round total of nine-under-par 131 to lead Thomas Aiken, of South Africa.
World No 276 Aiken had the best score of the tournament so far, a six-under-par 64 to surge into contention. But before his charge, it was all Chawrasia, who at one point went to 10 under before a bogey on the 14th brought him back to nine under par.
Four players are four strokes behind on five under – Sweden’s Alexander Bjork (-4 for the day), Thai Poom Saksansin (-2), Swede Jaokim Lagergren (-4) and American Julian Suri (-3).