NEW DELHI, India — Rory McIlroy and Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra kept up their charge with a strong start in their incomplete second round at the rain-hit European Tour’s India Championship on Friday.
Spain’s Angel Hidalgo, Pole Adrian Meronk, Dutchman Joost Luiten and Belgian Thomas Detry held the clubhouse lead with eight-under at the Delhi Golf Club course.
Six-time major winner McIlroy began his curtailed second round by hitting an eagle on his first hole and then put up par scores in the next three before bad light stopped play on day two.
McIlroy currently sits four-under after he finished the opening day on a two-under-par 70.
Chacarra only managed five holes of his second round but ended one shot behind the leading four.
Players will complete their second round on day three, when the cut will be decided.
It was a long day for many golfers, with Hidalgo and Meronk both facing 32 holes after nearly five hours of play were lost due to rain and thunderstorms on Thursday.
“I’m just glad it’s over, to be honest; I’m knackered,” said Meronk, who recently won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
“But, yeah, it was a lot of solid golf.
I’m happy with my position. Obviously a little bit disappointed with the bogey on the last, but it’s still a good round.” Luiten also got to nine-under with a hat trick of gains from the 13th and further birdies on the 18th and second, but sullied his card somewhat with a double bogey on the penultimate hole of his round.
“It was good for 17 holes, and then my 17th, the eighth hole, I double bogey, which normally you would say it’s a birdie hole,” said Luiten. “I think the long day and the tiredness just got to me a bit at the end, and luckily I could get a birdie on the ninth. It’s been a good day.” Opening day leader Niklas Norgaard of Denmark ended at five-under after he started with a bogey in the two holes he played on day two.
Defending champion Tommy Fleetwood posted two-under in the four holes he played late Friday to move four below par overall.
