By V. Krishnaswamy, IANS,
Singapore : Seven Indians led by Jeev Milkha Singh ensured the weekend rounds as the second round of the $5 million Barclays Singapore Open was completed here Saturday morning.
Jeev’s one-under 141 placed him 15th at the midway stage which saw 72 players making the money rounds.
Ernie Els and Simon Dyson shared the lead at the halfway stage with a total of six-under 136, while local hero Lam Chih-Bing shot an even par 71 to stay at four-under and he was two shot behind the leaders.
Among the big casualties was two-time Singapore Open champion Adam Scott who crashed out after he added a 73 to his opening 76. Also going out was PGA Tour player, Arjun Atwal, winner of the Maybank Malaysian Open this year. He shot 71 in second round after 76 in first round. South Koean K.J. Choi was the other big name going back early.
Besides Jeev, the other Indians were Digvijay Singh (even par 142), Gaganjeet Bhullar and Jyoti Randhawa, both at two-over 144, Shiv Kapur and S.S.P. Chowrasia, both at four-over 146.
Randhawa atoned for his first round 75 with a second round 69 that hauled him up to tied 38th alongside Bhullar, who with his 71 is now on way to securing his Asian Tour card for 2009.
Kapur (72) and Chowrasia (76), who both play on European Tour, squeezed in on the cut line at four-over 146 in tied 62nd place.
Bhullar had to play 17 holes from his second round Saturday and he negotiated them well with four birdies and four bogeys for the 71. Randhawa, who had 15 holes left over, added three more birdies to the one he had earlier with two bogeys for a 69.
Arjun Atwal even after six holes in second round was unable to make headway and ended at even for the day. He had a birdie on ninth, but bogeys on 12th and 13th meant he needed at least two birdies to come inside the cut line, but he managed only one on the 18th and finished the week early.
Arjun Singh even after two holes Friday in second round had just one birdie on fourth and six other bogeys for a 76 that ended his campaign.
Anirban Lahiri’s education with Phil Mickleson ended with a second round of 76 that had five bogeys and no birdies and he ended 14-over but richer in experience.
World No. 3 Phil Mickelson had five birdies against two bogeys in his remaining 11 holes to move into tied 15th place on 141, five off the pace heading into the third round which was due to start in the afternoon.
Lam hoping to become the first Singapore to win his home Open, returned to Sentosa Golf Club to play out his remaining 13 holes for an even par 71 which kept him two off the halfway lead held by Ernie Els and Simon Dyson in what is the Asian Tour’s richest national Open.
Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand, the last Asian to win the Barclays Singapore Open in 2001, played alongside Mickelson and produced a bogey-free 68 for a share of sixth place, three off the lead.
Scores (Indian): 141 Jeev Milkha Singh (73, 68); 142 Digvijay Singh (70, 72);
144 Jyoti Randhawa (75, 69), Gaganjeet Bhullar (73 71); 145 Gaurav Ghei (74, 71);
146 Shiv Kapur (72, 72), S.S.P. Chowrasia (70, 76)