Gurugram (Haryana) [India], February 1 : Joaquin Niemann illustrated his class at the International Series India on Friday by taking the clubhouse lead on the second day.
While all around him were struggling to cope with the demands of DLF Golf and Country Club, he fired a steady bogey-free four-under-par 68 to lead on six-under by two strokes over American Ollie Schniederjans and Japan's Kazuki Higa. They shot rounds of 69 and 71, respectively - in the season-opener on The International Series.
Jose Toledo from Guatemala carded the best round of the week, a 66, that featured nine birdies, to sit in fourth on three under, while American Bryson DeChambeau shot a 72 and is one under alongside Crushers GC team-mate and local hero Anirban Lahiri.
Almost half the field, including first-round leader Eugenio Chacarra from Spain, were unable to finish their rounds - the result of a backlog caused by a two-hour delay at the start of the day due to thick fog, and yesterday morning's one-hour delay because of same issue.
Chacarra, Mexico's Abraham Ancer and Filipino Justin Quiban are the leading players still on the course at three under. They have yet to make the turn and will resume tomorrow with 50 other players.
Among the Indian challenge, Lahiri is the leading player from the host country with Gaganjeet Bhullar currently two over through seven holes. Kartik Singh, the 15-year-old amateur, is one under for the day through five and two shots further back, while Ajeetesh Sandhu is in the clubhouse on five over.
Shubhankar Sharma is six over through eight, with Yuvraj Sandhu and SSP Chawrasia both in the clubhouse on seven over, within the projected cut line. Rashid Khan is also on seven over, through five holes.
Karandeep Kochhar (+8), Shiv Kapur (+9 through nine) and Abhinav Lohan (+10) are all outside the cut line alongside Jeev Milkha Singh, Manu Gandas and Honey Baisoya.
Niemann, who is bidding for back-to-back wins on The International Series having claimed the season-ending PIF Saudi International in December, fired an eagle and two birdies en route to the first bogey-free round so far this week.
"You know, it's a tough course. You got to hit your tee shots, you got to hit your lines. And, you know, anything can happen until the last fall. So yeah, I mean, I am just happy to be in this good situation going into the weekend. And there is a lot of good golf to play," Niemann said as quoted by the International Series India Press Release
Niemann beat Australian Cam Smith and Caleb Surratt from the United States in extra time in Saudi, and has never finished outside the top 10 in five starts on the Asian Tour.
The 26-year-old, who plays for Torque GC on the LIV Golf League, is feeling fresh after coming off a long break, that also saw him get married.
He added, "I was busy but not playing golf. I did probably two or three weeks off after I got married. Had a nice party, being able to spend time with the family. So yeah, that kind of gave me some extra energy to come out here and do my best."
He started his round on 10 and saved the best for last, holing an audacious lob shot for eagle on the par-five eighth before making a brilliant par save on the par-four ninth. He found trouble off the tee on the last but chipped back into the fairway and got up and down from about 100 yards, holing a six-footer.
Also starting on 10, Lahiri bogeyed his first, but birdied 13 for a level first nine. Birdies on four and nine, and a bogey on six, left him one under and in a decent position going into the weekend. He said: "I played really well today, in contrast to how I played yesterday. I think today was a much better rhythm. I hit the ball really well.
"I think I had 15, 16 greens today, at least. I put 15, 16 times. You know, a couple of times from the fringe, which is good around this golf course. I would say I probably left three, or four shots out there. So there were quite a few opportunities. I'm really happy with how I hit it today. Yeah, I'm quite pleased with how I played overall."
Schniederjans, who is playing on The International Series this year thanks to finishing fourth at the LIV Golf Promotions event last year, stormed through at the end with four closing birdies.
He was particularly pleased with his birdie on the tough par-four 17th.
He explained, "On the 17th, yeah, it's the most wild hole I think I've ever played in a tournament. Just the second shot, you have to judge it perfectly, or you can really make a mess there. So, I just, yeah, I got the number right where I was looking, and it popped that ridge and ended up two, three feet away there."
The American has been dogged by injuries throughout his career following an outstanding amateur career when he was ranked the number one amateur in the game in 2014.
"I've played hundreds of events against Bryson DeChambeau early on," he said.
"It's been a while though because I was injured and I came back to Korn Ferry, and spent three years out there after being out. So, it's been a while since I've got to play with these guys. Like I saw some of these guys Baan (Anirban Lahiri] and Bryson, like I'm saying hi to them, haven't seen him in five years."
Higa, who won the Japan Tour money list in 2022, continues to impress while trying to make his mark outside of Japan.
"Yeah, it's a very tough course, on every shot you need to have a perfect shot, so yeah, it's a tough course here. I try to manage my game depending on the pin position of the day, to try to not make bogies," said Higa, who played his first full season on the Asian Tour last year finishing 32nd on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
"It's not a birdie course, so you don't have to be aggressive. Just stay patient, and when you have the chance to get a birdie, just try to make the putts. And that's the strategy for the next two rounds. Same mindset as when I play the Japan Open," Higa added.