AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open 2017 R2 (192 images)

Laurie Canter and Dylan Frittelli are amongst the chasing pack who cut leader Arjun Atwal’s lead to a single shot going into the third round of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.
India’s Atwal started the day with a four shot advantage after producing a course-record 62 at Heritage Golf Club on Thursday and a second round 70 took him to ten under par.
Early starters Frittelli of South Africa and Englishman Canter posted rounds of 66 to get within one shot of the leader,...
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Laurie Canter and Dylan Frittelli are amongst the chasing pack who cut leader Arjun Atwal’s lead to a single shot going into the third round of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.
India’s Atwal started the day with a four shot advantage after producing a course-record 62 at Heritage Golf Club on Thursday and a second round 70 took him to ten under par.
Early starters Frittelli of South Africa and Englishman Canter posted rounds of 66 to get within one shot of the leader, and another South African, Louis de Jager, joined them on nine under par in the afternoon.

Frittelli, who was named Graduate of the Year yesterday, finished with a flourish, rolling in his birdie putt from five feet at the eighth - his penultimate hole - before smashing his tee shot to within a couple of feet of the hole at the par four ninth and tapping in for a closing eagle.

Canter, fresh from securing his European Tour card at Qualifying School, notched back-to-back birdies towards the end of his round to get within a shot of Atwal, and had a great chance to catch the 44 year old at the ninth - his last - but he just missed his birdie putt from six feet.

Three-time European Tour winner Atwal, who will captain Team Asia in the EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM next year, kept his nose in front after a round that included three birdies and two bogeys.
Portugal’s José-Filipe Lima is one of five players in a tie for fourth place on eight under par, while Joël Stalter of France joins South African Major winner Louis Oosthuizen and Mark Williams of Zimbabwe one shot further back at seven under par.
Thailand’s Suttijet Kooratanapisan matched the course record set by Atwal just yesterday, recording a nine under par round of 62 to get to four under overall.
Player quotes
Arjun Atwal: “The putter was definitely not as hot as the first day. I was hitting the ball just as good but it is tough to follow up a 62 with another low round. I’ll take this one-under.
“I almost birdied the ninth. I misjudged the wind with my second shot and it came out just short. It was right on line as well. I would usually putt from the distance I was from the hole but decided to chip and it almost went it. It was a good way to finish.
“I’m always calm. People who know me know that I don’t get fired up or lose my temper. I’m pretty much the same all the time. I’m really looking forward to the weekend. I feel as good as I can feel for my age. I’m feeling a bit sore but I’ll be okay tomorrow.”
Laurie Canter: “I’ve played so much golf in the wind recently, through Q School. It just feels like I’ve played a load of links golf and that kind of stuff, so I felt quite comfortable out there for a lot of it.
“If you can drive the ball half decent around here you’ll have a fair few opportunities to score and get the wedge in your hand a lot. I’m delighted with the two days really.
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