Date: March 01, 2008
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Park on track for maiden title

Australian Unho Park fired a brilliant six-under 66 to surge into a share of the halfway lead at the Johnnie Walker Classic at the DLF Golf and Country Club. The Singapore-based pro, who had seven birdies and a lone bogey in his round, joined Shiv Kapur at the top of the leaderboard, after the Indian scored an equally impressive seven-under 65. World No.5 Adam Scott remained within striking reach after grinding out a second successive 68 to lie just two off the pace in a share of fifth place. Fijian Vijay Singh and 2006 Asian No.1 Jeev Milkha Singh of India will enter the third round four off the lead. Park attributed his success so far this week to watching Vijay Singh practising on the range. “I was watching Vijay on the backswing and he keeps his head really still,” said the 34-year-old Park. “He doesn&apost sway or slide on the backswing and I tried to do something similar like that as I tend to move a lot on my backswing. I just tried to stay more steady and it&aposs working.” Park was joined on 10-under in the afternoon by Kapur, who overcame the flu to shoot a bogey-free 65 that featured an eagle and five birdies. “Yesterday, my nose was dripping like a tap every time I would stand over a putt and I would have to concentrate but it seems to be getting better,” said the Delhi native. “Usually they say it&aposs a five-day virus so I&aposm hoping to get better by the weekend.” “But sometimes it&aposs better when you&aposre sick because you&aposre not thinking so much about technique and external factors.” “You just sort of try to get through the round and you tend to concentrate on one shot at a time, rather than look at the bigger picture and that worked in my favour.” Scott, the biggest draw at the Johnnie Walker Classic, didn&apost produce his best golf but managed to post a number that kept him firmly in the title mix. He said it was important to stay up on the leaderboard as he bids for a second title of the season. “Yeah, it&aposs good to get on the leaderboard early. You&aposre always in touch with whatever that is going on out there. Around this course, it&aposs very hard to make up a lot of shots. So being up there with the leaders is a good spot right now,” said Scott, who triumphed in Qatar last month. “Obviously at the moment I&aposm right in contention, so that&aposs a good spot to be. I didn&apost play quite as well today as I did yesterday but still managed to have a good round.” One stroke behind Scott are fellow Aussies Adam Bland and Greg Chalmers at seven-under, while Paul Sheehan is a further shot back. Second Round of the Johnnie Walker Classic (Par 72): -10: Shiv Kapur 69 65, Unho Park 68 66 -9: Taichiro Kiyota 68 67, Jyoti Randhawa 70 65 -8: Phillip Archer 72 64, Jose Manuel Lara 69 67, Adam Scott (Australia) 68 68, Graeme Storm 70 66 -7: Adam Bland (Australia) 69 68, Greg Chalmers (Australia) 68 69, Richard Finch 72 65, Wen-tang Lin 70 67 -6: Soren Hansen 69 69, Paul Sheehan (Australia) 68 70, Jeev Milkha Singh 68 70, Vijay Singh 70 68, Daniel Vancsik 67 71 -5: Mark Brown (New Zealand) 71 68, Marcus Fraser (Australia) 71 68, Rahil Gangjee 68 71, James Kamte 68 71, Woon Joon Lee (Australia) 70 69, Michael Long (New Zealand) 70 69, Prayad Marksaeng 74 65, Chris Rodgers 72 67, Arjun Singh 69 70 Also: -4: Tony Carolan (Australia) 71 69, Scott Laycock (Australia) 72 68, Anthony Summers (Australia) 69 71 -3: Scott Barr (Australia) 71 70, Adam Blyth (Australia) 69 72, Gavin Flint (Australia) 73 68 -2: Terry Pilkadaris (Australia) 74 68, Andrew Tampion (Australia) 72 70, Kane Webber (Australia) 73 69 -1: Marc Leishman (Australia) 72 71, Peter Senior (Australia) 71 72 E: Gary Simpson (Australia) 74 70 +2: Matthew Millar (Australia) 72 74 +3: Michael Curtain (Australia) 74 73, Peter Fowler (Australia) 77 70, Adam Groom (Australia) 74 73, Richard Lee (New Zealand) 73 74 +4: Steven Bowditch (Australia) 74 74, Peter O Malley (Australia) 72 76 +5: David Bransdon (Australia) 74 75, Steven Jefress (Australia) 75 74, Terry Price (Australia) 76 73, David Smail (New Zealand) 77 72 +7: Scott Hend (Australia) 79 72, James Nitties (Australia) 70 81