SHENZHEN, China: Brit Callum Shinkwin catapulted up the leaderboard at the Shenzhen International on Saturday in an unfinished third round of play, pushed back by numerous weather delays.

Thunderstorms at the Genzon Golf Club in southern China meant a loss of more than six-and-a-half hours of play over the first two days of the tournament.

Third round play Saturday was also suspended due to bad light, with only 20 players having completed their rounds.

Yet despite the unfavorable conditions, Shinkwin shot a ten-under-par 62 that bumped him up to second, behind South Korea’s Soomin Lee.

During delayed round two play earlier in the day, Australian Scott Hend, winner of last month’s True Thailand Classic, fired an albatross that also put him hot on Lee’s heels.

Hend, winner of last month’s True Thailand Classic, shot a seven-under-par 65, equalling the low round of the week with a rare combination of an eagle and an albatross.

“It’s my sixth albatross, so it’s always nice to make an albatross, especially in the tournament,” the 46-year-old said in comments posted on the European Tour website.

At the end of round two, Hend was tied fourth with England’s Lee Slattery (66) on eight-under-par 136.

First-round co-leaders Alexander Levy of France and England’s Tommy Fleetwood carded matching 72s to drop into a share of ninth place along with Spaniard Nacho Elvira (68) in round two. Neither had time to play in round three.

Earlier in the day, American world number four and two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson fired a 69 to go into a five-way tie for 16th place, nine shots behind the leader.


Shiv Kapur closes in on victory in Japan

India’s Shiv Kapur fired a two-under-par 69 to grab a one-stroke lead from Japan’s Kodai Ichihara at the Panasonic Open after Saturday’s third round.

After 14 straight pars, Kapur carded back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16 to reach the clubhouse at nine-under 204 at the $1.25 million event sanctioned by the Japanese and Asian tours.

Overnight leader Ichihara, chasing a maiden career victory in Chiba, southeast of Tokyo, finished in regulation to lie one adrift with Australia’s Marcus Fraser — the current Order of Merit leader — a further shot back after a 67.

Helped by a 40-foot save on the eighth hole, Kapur put himself in prime position to become the third Indian to win in Japan after Jeev Milkha Singh and Jyoti Randhawa.

“That save was a bonus and kept my head in it,” said Kapur. “You can’t play average golf and win. I have to go out and play good golf.”

South Korea’s K.T. Kim, bidding to win for the second week running, Taiwan’s Hung Chien-yao, Korean Lee Sang-hee and Thailand’s Khrongpha Thanyakorn were tied with Fraser at 206, along with Japan’s Yuta Ikeda.

Leading scores:

204 — Shiv Kapur (IND) 68-67-69

205 — Kodai Ichihara (JPN) 69-65-71

204 — Marcus Fraser (AUS) 71-68-67, K.T. Kim (KOR) 69-69-68, Hung Chien-yao (TPE) 70-67-69, Khrongpha Thanyakorn (THA) 72-68-66, Yuta Ikeda (JPN) 67-73-66

208 — Hidemasa Hoshino (JPN) 67-74-67, Michio Matsumura (JPN) 71-69-68, Wang Jeung-hun (KOR) 71-68-69, Toshinori Muto (JPN) 71-67-70