Sweden's Daniel Chopra carded a flawless six-under-par 65 today to claim the clubhouse lead at the weather-affected Barclays Singapore Open while Pádraig Harrington fired a superb back nine to stay in the running.
US Tour regular Chopra, who had earlier completed an opening 70, went out in 31 before consecutive birdies on the way home helped the 35-year-old post the best round of the week and set the halfway mark at seven under.
After a passing thunderstorm brought further disruptions today at Sentosa Golf Club, more than half the field will need to return tomorrow morning to complete their second rounds.
Harrington came home in four under to rescue a 69. At one over par the two-time Open champion is currently on course to make the halfway cut. The Dubliner carded two bogeys in his opening nine holes but played the front nine of the tough Sentosa layout - his back nine - superbly with birdes on both par fives, the par four sixth and the 168-yard par three second.
First round leader Ian Poulter began his round with back to back birdies to progress to seven under after three holes, while qualifier Chan Yih-shin of Chinese Taipei matched the Englishman's start and was in a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard before bad light halted play shortly before another thunderstorm hit the course.
'I am very happy,' said Chopra, who completed 28 holes today.
'I started off a little edgy with all the delays, but I came out today a little more relaxed, but still trying to get used to the speed of the greens as they are a little slower than I'm used to.
'I usually don't have any problems adjusting to the speed of the greens but my stroke got a bit on the fast side trying to give it a bit of push so I missed a few small putts, but it got better as they day went on.'
Australia's Andrew Dodt, fresh from progressing through the first round of the US Tour's qualifying school in Nevada last week, and China's Liang Wen-chong both carded second rounds of 68 to lie five under overall.
Madrid Masters champion Ross McGowan was in the clubhouse at four under after a second consecutive 69.
Dodt had set the early mark at five under after recovering from an early double bogey by picking up seven shots in nine holes around the turn.
'It wasn't the best start but I had four birdies in a row from five and that kickstarted the round,' said Dodt.
'I have holed a lot of puts so far this week. I hope to continue that this weekend but the number one goal is to keep the ball on the fairways, which is quite difficult.'
Thailand's Chapchai Nirat fired a hole-in-one on his penultimate hole of the day to card a 67 to move to two under.
