Chopra out on his own as Higgins keeps in touch

SWEDISH newcomer Daniel Chopra and Edinburgh's Andrew Oldcorn produced electrifying second rounds to surge to the head of the Madeira Island Open leader board yesterday.

Chopra had two eagles in a second round 66 to jump into a two stroke halfway lead on nine under par 135, while Oldcorn, who had an amazing 12 threes on his card, had an eagle and nine birdies in equalling the course record of 65. He lies in second place behind Peter Mitchell and another Swede Jarmo Sandelin.

Three birdies in the last four holes lifted David Higgins into contention with a 70 and the 23 year old's three under par total of 141 put him in a share of 15th late burst, which got him home in 32, swept him past John McHenry, Padraig Harrington, and Des Smyth. It is the first time in five events of his rookie season that Higgins has avoided the halfway cut and he was naturally delighted.

"I am pleased that the good golf that I am playing is being translated into good scores," he said. "It is the reward for all the hard work I have been doing on the practice ground."

Yet Higgins began uncertainly, dropping strokes at the first and third by missing short range putts, and he took 38 to the turn.

But birdies at the 10th and 11th, where he hit wedge approaches within inches of the flags, got him back to level par. He holed from 10 feet at the 16th and 17th and mastered the treacherous last hole, with a perfect weighted nine iron approach and another 10 foot putt.

A first cheque on the PGA European Tour is now assured. And if Higgins can maintain his concentration at a high level he has every prospect of a top 10 place that would earn him an outing in the next event in Cannes.

Harrington, who has an unblemished record so far, ensured he would again play the full 72 holes by adding a 73 for level par 144. His problems were largely confined to club selection for three of his four bogeys which resulted in over hit approaches.

The other, at the fifth, came courtesy of three putts. "It was a very frustrating day," he said. "I feel I should be competing at the head of the field instead of being back in the pack. In the first round I made my best start to a tournament, now in the second, I have had my worst follow up. Perhaps the weekend will bring something different as well."

His birdies came at the second, ninth and 12th and not one of his putts was from more than six feet.

McHenry survived the setback of a double bogey seven at the seventh where he topped his tee shot into the bank of the water hazard. But birdies at the ninth, 10th and 12th, the latter two from 10 feet, put him back on track.

Yet just when he seemed set to move alongside Higgins at three under McHenry faltered again, dropping strokes at the 13th and 15th and, after a birdie at the long 16th, fluffed a green side chip at the next and he had to settle for a 73.

Smyth produced exemplary golf despite an injury to his ankle, He followed nine pars with another eight before taking a birdie on the final green for a 71 and level par 144.

But Francis Howley (73 for 151) and Jimmy Heggarty (77 for 152) were again out of touch and duly departed. Oldcorn, a former winner of the Turespana Masters and Jersey Open, has been struggling since last November with a mysterious injury to his left hand.

So far it has defied diagnosis, but yesterday he was free from pain and in dazzling form on the greens.

He started birdie eagle birdie and was out in 31 despite a double bogey six at the fourth. He took seven at the 12th after going into the ravine, but retaliated with three more birdies, chipping in at the last. "That was the most remarkable round of my life. It was so bizarre to have so many birdies yet feel that \had left four shots on the course.

Chopra (22), who has an Indian father and Swedish mother and was raised in Delhi, is already well known on the Asian Tour where he was second last year and was runner up in the Indian and Indonesian Opens this season. He holed a 30 yard chip for one of his eagles, and a bunker shot of 15 yards secured the other.