Sport - Golf

Trevor Immelman grabs a one-shot lead

AUGUSTA (USA): South African Trevor Immelman, finding his form after recovering from health problems last year, birdied the last two holes for a 68 to grab a one-shot lead in Friday’s second round of the U.S. Masters.

Immelman, overnight co-leader with Briton Justin Rose, matched his first-round score by posting three birdies on the back nine to reach eight-under-par 136 as he got hot with his putter on a warm, breezy day at Augusta National.

American Brandt Snedeker was alone in second place after he mirrored Immelman’s rousing finish with birdies at 17 and 18 to complete a 68 for 137, two shots better than compatriots Phil Mickelson and Steve Flesch, and Briton Ian Poulter.

Four-time champion Tiger Woods was seven strokes off the pace after an up-and-down round of 71, while Rose plunged to a 78 due to a triple-bogey in swirling winds that made it more difficult for the later starters.

Twice winner Mickelson had three birdies on the front side and capped a bogey-free round with a 30-foot birdie at 17 for a 68. Flesch registered an eagle at the par-five 13th to help his 67, while Poulter made three back-nine birdies for a 69.

At four-under-par 140 were Briton Paul Casey, after a 69, and Canadian Stephen Ames, who shot his second successive 70.

Snedeker, 27, drew a huge roar from the gallery at number six with an imaginative chip from the green to carry a mound, landing it at a 90-degree angle from the cup and watching it trickle down a slope and into the hole.

The cut was set at three over par, with 45 players qualifying for the final two rounds.

Among those at four-over were Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia and Fred Couples.

A gutsy Jeev Milkha Singh overcame back nine blues and turned in a card of two-over 74 to be tied 21st at the halfway stage.

Jeev thus maintained his perfect Masters record where he is now two-for-two for cuts made in the year’s opening Major. Daniel Chopra, however, was not that lucky and a disastrous second round of six-over 78 soured the India-born Swede’s Masters debut.

With a 36-hole total of one-over 145, Jeev joined a group of eight, including U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera and British Open winner Padraig Harrington, in the 21st place.

Jeev battled tough playing conditions, turning in 35 before making three bogeys, including two at the notorious Amen Corner.

Despite the struggle, Jeev, however, is determined to move into the top-15 by the end of the week to ensure a return trip to next year’s Masters.

Chopra was woefully erratic in his eventful second round of 78 that sealed his fate.

The scores (after second round): 136: Trevor Immelman (RSA). 137: Brandt Snedeker (USA). 139: Steve Flesch (USA); Phil Mickelson (USA); Ian Poulter (GBR). 140: Stephen Ames (Can); Paul Casey (GBR). 141: Stewart Cink (USA); Arron Oberholser (USA); Mike Weir (Can). 142: Retief Goosen (RSA); Lee Westwood (GBR). 143: Sean O’Hair (USA); J.B. Holmes (USA); Vijay Singh (Fij); Jim Furyk (USA); Robert Karlsson (Swe); Nick Dougherty (GBR); Tiger Woods (USA). 144: Andres Romero (Arg). 145: Brian Bateman (USA); Richard Sterne (RSA); Niclas Fasth (Swe); Bubba Watson (USA); Nick Watney (USA); Padraig Harrington (Ire); Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind); Angel Cabrera (Arg). — Agencies

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