Bjorn again in the lead at Singapore

Published on 11/11/2012 02:31

Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn yesterday retained the lead in the Barclays Singapore Open as the players continued to battle against the elements. Bjorn was leading after three holes on his third round which he was due to complete today after play was suspended due to darkness. Rain delays had disrupted day two, with Bjorn one of a number of players who did not play at all on Friday.

Having added a 67 to his first-round 66, Bjorn returned to the course to start his third round but had only parred the first three holes when a halt was called, with the players due to resume round three at Sentosa at 7:30am local time today.

Bjorn, pictured below, saw his first-round lead taken away by England’s Chris Wood and South Africa’s George Coetzee but reeled them in to reclaim the lead as round two progressed.

The Dane picked up the last of his four birdies on the 14th and finished with four pars to complete his second round on nine under. Bjorn, who then opened his third round with three pars before a halt was called to play, was in good spirits as he looked for his first win of the year. “This course can very quickly bite you, especially if you don’t drive the ball well,” he told the European Tour website after his second round.

Coetzee and Wood, both looking for a maiden victory on the European Tour, ended the second round level, with the former adding a best-of-the-week 63 to a 72 and Wood firing 65 after an opening 70. The Englishman moved ahead into second overall with a birdie on the second, putting him one behind Bjorn.

Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat had led after an opening 65 but a second-round 73 hurt his chances, leaving him joint fourth on six under with Italian Francesco Molinari. A seven-strong group of players on five under included Australia’s Adam Scott, England’s Simon Dyson and Italian Matteo Manassero. That was one shot ahead of world No.1 Rory McIlory after he made up for shooting 70 for both of his first two rounds by picking up two shots in the first nine of his third round. McIlroy said: “Two under through nine was a decent effort, but I probably need a few more birdies to get myself within a few shots of the lead going into the fourth round.”

n Catriona Matthew shared 19th place after adding a second-round 72 to her opening 71 at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Mexico. The Scot is ten shots behind leader Angela Stanford, from Texas, whose second-round five-under 67 put her two clear of the field at Guadalajara Country Club.