By Rahul Banerji
Shiv Kapur and Rashid Khan held the halfway lead in the Jeev Milkha Singh Invitational 2021 presented by TAKE Sports at the Chandigarh Golf Club on Friday.
While Dubai-based Kapur (64-68) went bogey-free for a second straight day with a 4-under 68, Delhi-based Khan (65-67) brought in a 5-under 67 to share the top spot on 12-under 132.
Chandigarh’s Aadil Bedi (68-65) had the day’s best card of 7-under 65 to move up five spots to third place on 11-under 133.
The cut came down at level-par 144 with 60 professionals and two amateurs making the grade.
Tournament host Jeev Milkha Singh (75-72) missed out despite a level-par 72 in round two for a three-over 147.
Overnight leader Kapur, who admitted to being rusty at the start of the week, seemed to have shaken off the moth-balls with another flawless round.
The six-time international winner, who began his round from the 10th tee, had a scrappy start as he made pars on the first six holes.
Birdie run
Kapur then found the hole from between seven to eight feet for three consecutive birdies going into the turn.
On the front nine, Kapur was steady with eight pars and a lone birdie on the sixth where he sank his longest putt of the day, a 15-footer.
“I was a bit scrappy today especially on the first six holes as the conditions were a little different in the morning with the ball not travelling too far,” Kapur said.
“It took some time adjusting to the different distances the ball was travelling. What I did well was make a number of par putts to keep the momentum of the round going.
“I’m happy to not have any blemishes on the card. Sometimes a par putt is as good as a birdie putt to keep the round going. The focus was to give myself a lot of chances.
“I’m still making a few mental mistakes out there having not played tournament golf for a while. However, if you told me before the start of the week that I’d be bogey-free through 36 holes, I’d take it in a heartbeat.”
Two-time Asian Tour winner Rashid Khan jumped two places from his overnight third.
Good planning
Rashid was one-under through the front-nine and then pushed ahead with a four-under on the back nine, attributing his low score to good course management.
Bedi, who has just recovered from a wrist injury that kept him out of action from three PGTI events in September, sank a 40-footer for birdie on 15 and converted four more from a range of 10 to 15 feet.
Delhi’s Kshitij Naveed Kaul produced a second consecutive 67 to occupy fourth place on 10-under 134.
Chandigarh’s Abhijit Singh Chadha slipped from the overnight joint lead to tied fifth on 9-under 135 following a second round of 71.
Three-time Asian Tour winner Gaurav Ghei of Delhi was also tied for fifth as a result of his 68 on Friday.
Locals shine
Yuvraj Singh Sandhu (69) was the third Chandigarh player in the top 10, sharing seventh place on 8-under 136.
Olympian Udayan Mane (68) is tied ninth on 7-under 137.
Former champion Ajeetesh Sandhu of Chandigarh was T11 on 5-under 139 while Chikkarangappa S. of Bangalore was a further shot back in tied 15th.
Two-time Indian Open winner S.S.P. Chawrasia lies tied 18th on 3-under 141.
Chandigarh’s Karandeep Kochhar (70), the defending champion and PGTI Order of Merit leader, is T21 on 2-under 142 along with Jyoti Randhawa.
Gaganjeet Bhullar was tied for 34th place on 1-under 143.
The two amateurs to make the cut are Aryan Roopa Anand of Bangalore at T34 on 143 and US-based Varun Chopra at T51 on 144.
Also read: Brisk starts by Kapur, Chadha at Jeev Milkha Invitational 2021
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