European Tour news:INDIA'S SHIV KAPUR and Australia's Unho Park shared a one-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Johnnie Walker Classic in New Delhi yesterday. Kapur shot a seven-under 65, including five birdies and an eagle three on the sixth hole, while Korean-born Park carded 66 to sit on 10-under 134.
India's Jyoti Randhawa and Japan's Taichiro Kiyota shot bogey-free rounds of 65 and 67 to be tied second at the DLF Golf and Country Club.
Australian world number five Adam Scott was a further stroke adrift at tied fifth after he shot 68 for the second successive day to be in a fine position to launch his title assault.
England's Philip Archer missed the course record by one shot after producing a superb, eight-under 64 to join compatriot Graeme Storm (66), Spain's Jose Manuel Lara (67) and Scott on eight-under 136.
Fiji's three-time major winner Vijay Singh shot four-under 68 to sit four shots off the lead.
Peter Lawrie was the only one of a quartet of Irish players to make the cut. Lawrie added a four-under-par 68 to an opening 72 to be in a share of 28th.
But Graeme McDowell (72, 73), Paul McGinley (74, 72) and Damien McGrane (74, 75) were well off the pace.
Scott was pleased after the tricky greens played more true in the morning when he and Park were in action.
"At the moment I'm right in contention, so that is a good spot to be," he said. "I didn't play quite as well today as I did yesterday but still managed to have a good round," added the Australian, whose only blemish was a bogey five on his fourth hole.
Park, tied third overnight, reeled off five birdies in six holes only to suffer bogey fives on the 12th and 15th holes.
However, the Singapore-based player birdied the final two holes, crediting his fluent swing to watching Vijay Singh train.
The 26-year-old Kapur was four shots off the pace overnight after an opening 69, having almost decided not to play due to high fever and cold.
"If someone had told me before the tournament that I would be sitting here I would have laughed," he said.
He went into joint lead after a birdie five on the 16th hole, but was lucky to save par on the final 18th hole where he just avoided finding water by the green with his second shot.
Archer was on target all day as he shot the tournament's best round so far, while Storm blitzed the course with a six-under 66 as the English duo moved to eight under.
Richard Finch is also handily placed in a four-way tie for ninth on seven under with a group of six players, including world number 11 Vijay Singh and local favourite Jeev Milkha Singh a further stroke back.
Ian Poulter and Colin Montgomerie will not be around for the weekend though. Poulter missed the cut of two-under despite firing a valiant 68 to finish on even par, while Montgomerie's 76 left him on six over.
Archer began the day on level par but surged up the leaderboard after an electric round on the 7,156-yard Arnold Palmer-designed layout near Delhi that included an eagle and six birdies.
"I don't like to say it was easy but it felt very easy with no stress," said the 35-year-old who is eyeing his first victory on the tour.
"I hit it close a few times and made a few decent 15-footers. When you hole them and knock your six-footers in, it feels easy."
Storm had seven birdies and a lone bogey in his round.
Having made the cut in only one of three events this season, the 29-year-old was pleased with his form in India so far.
"I've played well the last two days. Yesterday, I didn't hole many putts, but today I holed a couple more and just made one mistake, one blemish on my card in two days," said last year's French Open champion.
