AKRON(Ohio): Daniel Chopra went on a free fall with a series of bogeys and double bogeys as he carded a four-over 74 and dropped to tied 35th at the midway stage of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. Chopra, three-under on first day, is now one-over 141 for 36 holes.
Chopra, who was second after the first round, opened well after teeing off from the tenth at the Firestone Country Club. He had a birdie on the 12th but then dropped a double bogey on the 15th, which was partly made up by a birdie on the 17th. However, another double bogey on 18th saw him turn in two-over 37.
On the second stretch, the front half of the course, Chopra dropped bogeys on second, fourth and sixth and his consolation was a birdie on seventh.
Asian Tour honorary member Vijay Singh surged to the top of the halfway leaderboard with a second round four-under-par 66 on Friday. The big Fijian, who holds a two-day total of 133, leads by one shot from world number two Phil Mickelson at Firestone Country Club. Ovenight leader Retief Goosen dropped to tied 12th with a 71.
Both Vijay and Mickelson have three majors -- two Masters and a PGA for Mickelson, two PGAs and a Masters for Singh. Vijay, 45, was the last player other than Woods to be No. 1 in the world. His was a 32-week reign in 2004-05. But he now without a win for 18 months and is way back as World No. 15 in the ranking.
Korea's K.J. Choi improved by six shots to return a 67 and move up to 29th place, seven shots off the lead while Chopra, a former winner on the Asian Tour, was tied 35th after a 75.
Australian Scott Strange slipped back from his tied sixth overnight position to joint 45th after carding a disappointing 74 while Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand shot a 73 for tied 53rd place.
South African James Kingston was 65th while Mark Brown of New Zealand will enter the weekend rounds in 80th place after rounds of 80 and 75.
Sean O'Hair had a 67 and joined the group at 5-under 135 that included Lee Westwood (65), former Masters champion Zach Johnson (68) and Peter Lonard (66).
