Jaidee shines before rain strikes

Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee was left as the early leader as the thunderstorms which threatened yesterday struck during the second round of the Enjoy Jakarta HSBC Indonesia Open.

Play was suspended after three hours as the heavens opened, the Emeralda Golf Club having escaped a downpour during round one.

Jaidee’s lead was one stroke after he made his usual lightning start with three birdies and an eagle in his opening nine holes en route to a nine under score.

Starting at six under, two shots were picked up at the 10th and 11th as he went to minus eight, before bogeys at the 14th and 15th.

Then came the eagle at the par-five eighth and another birdie, putting the former army paratrooper one shot clear of Rahil Gangjee and Simon Dyson, of England.

Indian Gangjee had had a solid first day and built on it with five birdies in his 12 holes to keep the pressure on the leader.

And Dyson, who is used to the rain delays after spending a year on the Asian Tour in 2000, maintained his good form from round one.

The York golfer hit three birdies after nine holes, a record only spoiled at the 13th where he dropped his first shot of the tournament.

Overnight joint-leaders at six under par, Wang Ter-chang, of Taiwan, and Irishman David Higgins, have yet to start their rounds.

Sweden’s Steven Jeppesen had shot a 67 on Thursday and remained at five under par after 12, two birdies offset by two dropped shots.

Englishman Sam Little is a shot back from Jeppesen, his two birdies giving him a front nine 34, alongside Anders Hansen of Denmark.

Stephen Dodd, the top-ranked Briton in the field, will be looking to find his rhythm when he tees off later, having berated himself for a round that still only left the Welsh World Cup winner three shots off the opening-day lead.

Thunderstorms have been forecast to interrupt play throughout the tournament, which comes on the back of the Malaysian Open being cut to 54 holes in similar climatic conditions.