By IANS,
San Diego (California) : Daniel Chopra recovered from a nightmarish second round start with four bogeys in a row to end with a four-over 75 at the 108th Open at Torrey Pines here.
The Indo-Swede golfer was tied 49th with his two-day total of six-over 148 Friday.
While Chopra kept his calm to ensure weekend action, Tiger Woods with his sore knee in focus played a brilliant second nine – on the front stretch of the course – to come within a shot of the leader Stuart Appleby of Australia.
Appleby’s total put him in the same position as Masters champion Trevor Immelman of South Africa.
Australian Appleby will lead the field into the third round with a second round of 70 to go with his first round 69. At three-under 139 to lead by a shot from American Rocco Mediate, Sweden’s Robert Karlsson and Tiger Woods.
Chopra, who in his previous appearance at the US Open at Shinnecock in 2004, was tied 24th, opened with bogeys on the first, second, third and fourth holes to be four-over after four. A further setback followed with a bogey on sixth as he was five-over after six holes.
Birdies on the seventh and ninth brought some relief but on the back nine, he gave way one more shot on 12th but parred the rest for a 75.
Appleby will partner Mediate (71) in the final group of third round but all eyes will be on the penultimate grouping of Woods and Karlsson (70).
Karlsson has been in great form finishing third-third-third-second in his last four outings on The European Tour International Schedule.
Missing the cut were big names like K.J. Choi (74, 77), Shingo Katayama (77, 76), Toru Taniguchi (74, 76) and also going out early were Colin Montgemerie (79, 77), Angel Cabrera (79, 76).
Vijay Singh, honorary member of the Asian Tour, just made the cut on the line at 149.
The second round had Woods in focus. He had four birdies in five holes from the first, which was his tenth, to bring himself back into contention for his 14th Major Championship title. He ended the day with a birdie four on the ninth.