Paul Peterson stunned the field with an eight-under 64 to take top spot at the end of the second round of the Panasonic Open India at the Delhi Golf Club on Friday.
At 11-under, the 29-year-old American is a shot clear of Shiv Kapur.
“Getting birdies on three of the four par-5s was the key. Yesterday, I was just one-under for the par-5s. It feels good to see my putts rolling in, and being able to hit some good shots, especially the par-fives,” said the left-handed Peterson. “I managed to hit three of the par-fives in two, and that was the key for scoring especially on the par-fives. It was good to score well on the par-fives.”
He also expressed his love for the course. “The DGC has a spooky feel about it. When you see the fog from one of the end hole, it is dark and it has a very cool vibe about it. I love that, and it is great fun playing here,” Petersen said. “The course is somewhat soft this time, because I believe you had a lot of rain.”
Kapur shot a three-under which included a double bogey on the third. “At this club, I have always been too anxious, but now I have told myself that I will play it the way it demands and not think too much,” he said.
In third spot is Shamim Khan. He started with three consecutive birdies but picked up strokes on the 13th and the 15th.
“I had an exceptional front-nine as I was four-under through five holes, and five-under through eight holes. But then I missed some short putts on the back-nine, that resulted in the two bogeys,” Shamim said.
Overnight leader Ajeetesh Sandhu’s one-over saw him slide to joint sixth. “It was a tough day. I just didn’t get a hang of the greens. I began well but there were too many errors on the back-nine,” he said.
Leading scores after 36 holes: 133: Paul Peterson (USA) 69, 64; 134: Shiv Kapur 65, 69; 135: Shamim Khan 66, 69; 136: Divyanshu Bajaj 68, 68; S.S.P. Chawrasia 67, 69; 137: Honey Baisoya 69, 68; Ajeetesh Sandhu 64, 73.