Golf: Atwal stays on top in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS - Indian golfer Arjun Atwal fired a four-under-par 68 to take sole possession of the second-round lead at the US$5.5 million ($7.64 million) New Orleans Classic today, one shot clear of American J.J. Henry.

Atwal, who has seven international victories but is seeking his first PGA Tour success, had shared the overnight lead with Masters runner-up Chris DiMarco but mounted a charge on the back nine of the TPC of Louisiana course, carding four birdies and a single bogey to sit on 11-under 133 through 36 holes.

"I got off to a slow start when there was no wind and when the wind started to pick up the conditions became pretty similar to yesterday and that's when I started focusing a little more and started making some putts and made some birdies out there," said Atwal, who lost in a playoff at this month's BellSouth Classic.

For the second consecutive day Henry turned in a tidy effort on the TPC layout, again carding 67 with one bogey and six birdies to move within one of the leader at 10-under 134.

Two New Zealanders missed the second-round cut, Michael Long bowing out after his 75 left him on 149, four shots outside the mark, and Craig Perks joining him following 76 to leave him on 152.

After carding a flawless opening round 65 DiMarco had a rollercoaster afternoon, mixing three bogeys and a double bogey with four birdies and an eagle to sign for a one-under 71.

DiMarco made his big mistake at the last, a double bogey sending him tumbling out of the lead and joining South Africa's Tim Clark three strokes off the pace at eight-under.

Clark had a much less adventurous round, closing with birdies on his final two holes to finish with a three-under 69.

"It leaves a bad taste in your mouth but that's golf. I hit a so-so shot on 18 didn't get away with it and made double," said DiMarco, the world No 8 but without a victory since capturing the 2002 Phoenix Open.

"I don't know what I was thinking. It's not playing easy out there, anytime you can hit under par on this course you've hit a lot of really quality shots.

"But that's the way golf is. To go around this course yesterday with no bogeys I knew there had to be a few in me today."

American Lucas Glover had a flawless day as he finished one shot further back at 137 after carding 68, one clear of defending champion Vijay Singh.

Riding the momentum from his victory at last week's Houston Open, Singh had 71 but was still well in sight of the leader, five shots adrift at 138.

Americans Richard S Johnson and Hank Kuehne were also on 138, one shot clear of Ireland's Padraig Harrington, who had 71 to leave him level with Japan's Hidemichi Tanaka at 139.

- REUTERS