The Hindu : Sport : Atwal takes one-stroke lead

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Sunday, May 01, 2005

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Atwal takes one-stroke lead

Looking for his first U.S. PGA Tour victory, Atwal had six birdies and two bogeys

LOUISIANA: India's Arjun Atwal is trying to keep a low profile in the Zurich Classic. It won't be easy if he keeps playing this well.

``I don't think people know who I am and don't expect anything,'' Atwal said. ``So even if I mess up, they are just going to say I wasn't expected to win. I'm just going out there and play my game and see if I can handle it or not.''

The 32-year-old Atwal overcame Friday's gusting winds to shoot a 4-under 68 and take a one-stroke lead over J.J. Henry after two rounds of the Zurich Classic.

Atwal, looking for his first U.S. PGA Tour victory, had six birdies and two bogeys in gusts of up to 40 kph (25 mph) and moved 11-under 133. Henry had a second straight 67 to get to 10 under, and Chris DiMarco, playing in his first event since losing the U.S. Masters in a playoff, had a 71 and was tied with Tim Clark (69) at 8 under.

``I didn't hit it too well in the first few holes, when there was no wind,'' Atwal said. ``But I got it up and down a few times, just steady stuff. And as the wind started to pick up, I kind of started to focus a little bit better and hit it closer and made a few putts.''

Stress-free day

``It was another kind of stress-free day to be honest with you,'' Henry said. ``I feel real comfortable on this golf course. I like the way most of the holes fit. I'm driving the ball well, my ball striking has actually been great for the last couple of weeks, and my putter is finally catching up.

``I'm surprised at how low the cut is, 1 over. I mean, a golf course that nobody is familiar with. The wind blew probably steady for two days at 20-plus miles an hour.''

Atwal, playing on a sponsor's exemption, lost a playoff early this month in the BellSouth Classic for his best finish of the year.

Last season, he made only 12 cuts in 30 events and finished 146th on the money list with $ 486,052.

``Our baby was coming along,'' Atwal said. ``We had no family in America at the time, so every time I missed a cut or was close to making a cut, I wasn't even thinking about the cut. I was thinking of going back to my wife and taking care of her. As soon as the baby came along, I started doing well again.''

Chris DiMarco, playing in his first event since losing a playoff to Tiger Woods in the Masters, had a 71 to join Tim Clark (69) at 8 under.

Lucas Glover (68) was 7 under, and defending champion Vijay Singh followed his opening 67 with a 71 to join long-hitting Hank Kuehne (69) and Richard S. Johnson (68) at 6 under.

DiMarco, tied for the lead after the first round, had an inconsistent round that included an eagle, four birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey.

At 10 under heading to the par-5 18th, DiMarco hit his tee shot into the water to the right of the fairway and scrambled to make a double-bogey 7.

``I have to give that to lack of knowledge of the golf course,'' DiMarco said.

``For some reason, I think that right side that you can get to that far bunker out there. I'm not long enough to get to that bunker. I tried to take a little more off than I can chew. I thought it was going to fly into the bunker and it didn't even get close.'' — AP

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