A congested leaderboard perfectly summed up the disruption caused by the first day’s weather delays to the DP World India Championship in New Delhi where a four-way logjam – featuring Angel Hidalgo, Adrian Meronk, Joost Luiten and Thomas Detry – formed at the business end of the incomplete second round at the tournament.
Of the quartet sharing the lead, only Detry failed to complete his second round in managing just six holes before play was suspended due to fading light. All three Irish players in the event failed to complete their rounds.
Hidalgo added a second successive 68 for a midway total of eight-under par while Meronk signed for a 69 to join him on that mark and Luiten signed for back-to-back 68s. Detry was three under on his scorecard through six holes to also be on eight under for the event which is in its second year on the schedule.
Tom McKibbin, however, stalled. The 23-year-old Northern Irishman had started the day in a share of second after posting an opening 67 but was level par on his second round through his seven completed holes and slipped to tied-13th.
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Rory McIlroy, looking to make ground on the two players ahead of him in the Race to Dubai, Patrick Reed and Eugenio Chacarra, was two under for the four holes he managed to complete after opening with a 70. The Masters champion and world number two, currently in third in the Race to Dubai in his bid to join Colin Montgomerie as an eight-time winner of the Vardon Trophy, was in tied-17th on four under.
Polish player Meronk, who has hit a rich vein of form since the end of the LIV Golf season and his return to the European circuit, which included a win in last month’s Alfred Dunhill Links, continued to impress.
“To be honest, my game felt like it’s coming along for the last few months. I just couldn’t like finish the tournament well. Suddenly feels like I’m gaining the momentum, the confidence growing, and it’s a great feeling. Just when you really can trust your golf game, when you hit shots to your targets, it’s just so much fun,” said Meronk, adding:
“I think finally the game is in a good spot and I am just trying to enjoy it and play to my spots and keep on going, playing to my strengths and playing smart off the tee, placing the ball in good spots.”
Meronk’s form has been so impressive of late that he has surged to third in the early stages of Ryder Cup qualifying for next year’s match at Adare Manor, in his attempt to become the first Polish player to play for Europe.
In the Buick LPGA Shanghai championship on the LPGA Tour, South Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi continued to set the pace despite stumbling to a second round 74 to add to her opening 64 to claim the midway lead on six-under-par 138, two shots clear of Australian Grace Kim and fellow Korean Amy Yang.
Leona Maguire moved into a share of 10th after posting a second round 73 in difficult weather for a 36-holes total of level-par 144.
However, Lauren Walsh struggled to an 82 for 152 which saw her fall back to tied-56th.
