Luiten holds onto the lead

European Tour

Joost Luiten retained his lead at the Iskandar Johor Open when the delayed 1st round was completed today.

Dutchman Joost Luiten retained his first round lead at the Iskandar Johor Open when play was completed early on Friday at the rain-hit $2 million co-sanctioned event.

A late afternoon thunderstorm halted play on Thursday and left 78 players out on the course and needing to comer back obn Friday to complete their first round at Horizon Hills.

Luiten who underlined his current rich vein of form to open with a sparkling 8-under 63 berfore the weather closed in and halted play on Thursday, still topped the leaderboard when the rest of the field finished on Friday.

Sweden’s Daniel Chopra joined defending champion Padraig Harrington, Marcus Fraser and Gregory Bourdy in second place a shot behind Luiten.

Chopra, who won the event in 1993, resumed his round in a greenside bunker on the sixth hole, which he birdied, and went on to card a 64.

“I stayed very patient as I knew this is a golf course where if you play well, you will be able to make some birdies,” Chopra said.

“I didn’t hit the ball that well this morning. But now with a bit of break, maybe I can go out and hit some balls and find that momentum.”

One of the biggest movers on Friday was Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat, who resumed his round tied for 14th but climbed the leaderboard with a 65 to finish in sixth spot.

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