Chopra expects a Johor shoot-out

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November 19, 2011

Daniel Chopra will be two shots clear of the field when he tees off at in the final round of the Iskandar Johor Open on Saturday.

Daniel Chopra of Sweden will be two shots clear of the field when he tees off at in the final round of the Iskandar Johor Open on Saturday.

But instead of the first hole of the 4th round, he will be playing the second hole of the third round.

This after a downpour at 3pm ended his third round for the day and officials later decided to cut the tournament to a 54 hole event.

Chopra, a two-time PGA Tour winner, was 13-under after playing the first hole at Malaysia’s storm-hit Horizon Hills Golf and Country Club in Johor with Padraig Harrington of Ireland, James Morrison of England and Frenchman Gregory Bourdy tied for second place on -11.

No players had as ye finished their third rounds, meaning a total of 72 players would have to return at 7.20am on Sunday to complete what would now be their final rounds.

Chopra, who won his first professional title at the 1993 Johor Open, predicts an exciting final day with a strong cast of players including three-time Major champion Harrington still in with a chance of winning.

“It will make it more exciting. It is going to be a bit more like a shootout because there are a number of people still in it with a chance to have a good round. It will be fun,” he added

“Obviously, I would have loved to play. I did some work early in the morning and I felt good. I hit a couple of good shots starting of the round and then the rain came. It kills a bit of momentum but we can’t control the weather and fortunately I was mentally prepared for the weather delays,” the Swede added.

Jose-Maria Zamora, the European Tour Tournament Director of the Iskandar Johor Open, said the course was deemed unplayable which led to the suspension of play.

“The course became unplayable after the heavy rainfall we received this afternoon, with standing water on a number of the fairways.

“With that in mind, we had no choice but to suspend play for the day and, due to the disruptions we have already suffered, we have also taken the decision to reduce the tournament to 54 holes,” he said.

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