Lee Westwood’s charge at the Indonesian Masters came to a halt when the second round was suspended because of lightning Friday, leaving the unheralded pair of Shaaban Hussin and Park Hyun-Bin in the clubhouse lead.
The world number two — who could return to the top ranking this week — was nine-under in the $750,000 event and will have to return at 6:30 am on Saturday to finish his remaining two holes at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.
Shaaban of Malaysia and Korean Park fired a 67 and 68 respectively to take the surprise clubhouse lead on nine-under-par 135 in the inaugural Asian Tour showpiece. Thitiphun Chuayprakong of Thailand shot a 68 to lie in third on 136 while countrymen Pariya Junhasavasdikul, who shot the best round of the week so far with a superb 65, was a stroke back with compatriot Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Englishman Simon Griffiths.
Round two was suspended due to lightning at 4:25 pm local time, meaning 47 players are yet to complete their rounds. “Obviously I’m disappointed because I had two more holes to play. I’m still in contention and have to see how things go in the next two days,” said Englishman Westwood, who turns 38 on Sunday.
He will regain the world number one position this week — and celebrate his birthday in style — if he wins but compatriot Luke Donald fails to do the same in the United States. Westwood, who reverted to the conventional putter from the belly putter, birdied his opening four holes before making the turn in 32.
He added a birdie and bogey on holes 12 and 13 and was on the charge with another birdie on 16 before play was suspended. Shaaban, a former Malaysian amateur number one, recovered from a sticky start. “I had a bogey on my first hole and I never gave up from there.
I tried to come back from that blemish and returned with four straight birdies. After the turn, I wanted to focus more and finished strongly — which I did,” said the 30-year-old. Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee was on eight-under through 16 holes before play was suspended. His playing partner and overnight leader Siddikur, from Bangladesh, struggled to emulate his solid first round and was five-under.
