AUGUSTA, Ga. – Japan tour money winner Toru Taniguchi shrugged off illness and a poor start to finish in a tie for ninth when darkness descended midway through the second round of the rain-delayed U.S. Masters on Friday.
Torrential rain washed out play on Thursday, but when the tournament finally got underway Taniguchi was one of just six players to beat par in the first round, with a 1-under-par 71 in tough conditions at Augusta National.
And despite dropping two shots in the first 15 holes in the second round, the 35-year-old ended the day in a group of 14 golfers seven shots behind early pacesetter Mike Weir of Canada.
Meanwhile, Shingo Katayama was one stroke further back on 2-over-par through nine holes in the second round, while Shigeki Maruyama ended his round on the 11th green at 5-over par.
But Toshimitsu Izawa looked in danger of missing the cut after playing 9-over through 29 holes.
Fujino leads by one
TOJO, Hyogo Pref. (Kyodo) Orie Fujino carded her second straight 69 to take a one-shot lead after the second round of the 60 million yen Promise Ladies tournament on Saturday.
Fujino, winner of three titles on the Japanese LPGA circuit, had five birdies against two bogeys at the Water Hills Golf Club to move on to 36-hole total of 6-under 138, one stroke clear of overnight leader Taiwan’s Huang Yu-chen of Taiwan.
South Korean Ko Woo Soon and Masaki Maeda were a further shot back in a tie for third.
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