Three hold clubhouse lead in Okinawa Open

Three hold clubhouse lead in Okinawa Open

Agence France-Presse, Okinawa, Japan

American Ted Purdy and Japan's Tateo Ozaki and Hiroyuki Fujita
took the clubhouse lead on Saturday after two rounds of the rain-
interrupted Okinawa Open.

First-round leader Purdy fired a two-under-par 70 at Southern
Links Golf Club and was joined at the top of the leaderboard by
Ozaki, who shot an impressive 64, and Fujita who came in with a
68.

They lead the US$833,000 event on nine under par by a stroke
from Fijian Dinesh Chand, who carded a 66.

A total of 42 players were unable to complete round two on
what is the third day of the Okinawa Open. One of those was
Japan's Tetsuji Hiratsuka, who is nine under for the tournament
with just the 18th to play.

The Okinawa Open is the first event to be joint-sanctioned by
the Asian PGA Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO)
and so officials and players from both camps are disappointed
that bad weather has meant the second round will spill over into
the final day. But the weather forecast for Sunday is good,
giving hope that 54 holes can be completed.

Purdy and Ozaki were able to complete their rounds earlier in
the day before a one-and-a-half-hour rain delay stopped play at
2:00 pm.

Purdy wasn't able to match his first-round 65 but was happy
with his performance.

"Yesterday I putted very well and today I putted average. It
was fine, 70 is a good round," said Purdy, who dropped two shots
in the last four holes of the US PGA Tour Qualifying School two
weeks ago and agonizingly missed his card by one shot.

"It would be wonderful to play well tomorrow after what
happened at Tour school. To finish well would be very satisfying.
I have an opportunity to win tomorrow and get on the Japanese
Tour which would be wonderful," added Purdy, who made four
birdies and two bogies.

Ozaki, best known as Jet and the younger brother of Jumbo
Ozaki, stormed into contention with a brilliant bogey-free round
that included an eagle and seven birdies.

"I have had two weeks off and I have been waiting to play here
in Okinawa. I am trying to concentrate on my score and not my
swing so that I can get a nice Christmas and New Year's present,"
said Ozaki.

Jumbo Ozaki was still on the course when darkness fell 5.37
pm. He is six under for the tournament with five holes to play.
Newly crowned Asian PGA number one Jyoti Randhawa of India is
five under with three remaining.

The Okinawa Open is the opening event of the 2002-2003 season
for both the Asian PGA and JGTO circuits.