By IANS,
Shanghai : India’s Jeev Milkha Singh playing one of his steadiest rounds had just one birdie and 17 pars in a one-under 71 in the second round of the rain-hit at the $5 million HSBC Champions golf here Saturday.
With the organisers having been forced to cancel play Friday, the second round and part of the third round is being played Saturday in an effort to complete all four rounds in the tournament.
Jeev moved up marginally from tied 24th to 21st after the second round while his compatriot S.S.P. Chowrasia carded an even par 72 to move up 10 places to the 55th spot.
World No.3 Sergio Garcia of Spain and Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, world No.12, took a share of the second round lead when play finally resumed Saturday.
After the second round of play was abandoned due to inclement weather Friday, Stenson continued his title challenge when he fired a three-under-par 69 for a 10-under-par 134 total.
Garcia, who began the day a single shot behind Stenson, also posted a 134 after his two-day round scores of 66 and 68 to take a single shot lead over England’s Oliver Wilson and Australia’s Geoff Ogilvy who are both in tied-second on 135.
Jeev birdied the par-5 second hole and parred the rest in his 71 and his total of 141 is seven behind the leaders, after having shot a 70 on first day.
Chowrasia, with two birdies and two bogeys on either side of the turn, had a 72. He is now four-over 148 after a 76 on first day.
Defending champion Phil Mickelson posted a 70 to share fifth place with Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell on matching 136s while Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng kept Asia’s hopes alive when he returned with a 138 to stay four shots off the lead.
Three-time Asian Tour winner Lin Wen-tang of Chinese Taipei and 2007 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, Liang Wen-chong of China are among the mix in 17th place after finishing with matching 140s.