Lam misses chance to join leading duo in Singapore

Local player Lam Chih Bing was left to regret a bogey on the final hole of his second round today as he missed the opportunity to join Ernie Els and Simon Dyson on the lead flight for the Barclays Singapore Open.

The 31-year-old, who led the tournament after the weather-interrupted first day with a four-under 67, had to play 13 holes at Sentosa Golf Club this morning after darkness interrupted his second round yesterday evening with the Singaporean on four under through five holes.

Lam pulled himself within a stroke of clubhouse leaders Els and Dyson with a birdie at the 12th but pushed his two-iron tee shot at the par-five 18th into rough and put his second shot behind a tree as he bogeyed the hole.

The dropped shot gave Lam a level par 71 that put him into a tie for third place on four under with Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat, who both carded scores of 68 yesterday.

Dyson fired a four-under-par 67 and Els carded a 70 in their second rounds to lead the tournament on six under.

“I played pretty solidly, hitting a lot of fairways and greens,” said Lam. “I had a few really good looks at birdies but just didn’t make the putts.

“The bogey on the last was a bit disappointing but all in all I think I’m very happy to be where I am.”

Lam was regretful at missing the opportunity to play with three-time major winner Els.

“Coming down the last I was thinking that if I could just make a par, I would probably get to play with Ernie Els which would have been a really big bonus,” he added.

“He’s someone that I look up to and it would have been a great learning opportunity to play with someone like him.

“It might turn out to be a good thing. We’ve still got two more rounds, a long way to go and hopefully I can continue to play solid golf.”

Seventy-eight players completed their second rounds this morning with Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant, Australia’s Marcus Both and Holland’s Guido Van Der Valk moving into contention after joining Thomas Bjorn of Denmark and David Gleeson of Australia in a five-way tie for sixth on three under.

Thaworn birdied two of his last three holes in a bogey-free 68, Both had two birdies and two bogeys for a level-par 71 while Van Der Valk fired seven birdies as he carded the best score of the second round with a six-under 65.

Phil Mickelson, the world number three, had four birdies on the back nine but bogeyed his final hole for a round of 68 that put him into a tie for 15th on one under.

World number five Padraig Harrington was a further shot back after carding a 70 while Darren Clarke shot a 71 to remain at two over.

KJ Choi missed the halfway cut of four over by one stroke after shooting a 77 yesterday while two-time winner Adam Scott carded a 73 to miss out by three shots.