India, March 28 -- Japan's Keita Nakajima had made it a victory procession last year, wrapped up by four shots and a 17-under par aggregate on an unforgiving DLF Golf and Country Club course. Still only 24, and having regained top form after a back issue last year with tied-second at the Singapore Classic last week, the defending champion had opened with a two-over score on Thursday.

Early summer heat, heavy breeze, hard, wavy greens confounded by tricky pin spots - the litany of woes continued for most of the field in the second round of the $2.25 million Hero Indian Open DP World Tour Asia Swing on Friday.

Except for Nakajima, whose golf was luminous at a different level. He scorched the course with a six-under 66 round that saw a stu...