Chiba, Japan, 22-04-2016
Kapur rises into contention in Japan, shoots 67 to be placed second
Chawrasia climbs to 10th on weather-affected second day in China
India’s Shiv Kapur fired a resolute four-under-67 to rise into contention at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship on Friday. Kapur’s second round effort pushed him up from tied ninth to second place at the Chiba Country Club, Umesato course.
Shiv (68-67) totalled seven-under-135 at the halfway stage and thus trailed the leader, Japan’s Kodai Ichihara, by a solitary stroke.
Kapur, who recently took a month’s break from golf to get married, is now in prime position to end an 11-year title drought at the 150 million Yen (approximately US$1.27 million) event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour.
Kapur overcame the blustery afternoon conditions by trading six birdies against two bogeys as he chases for his first silverware since winning the 2005 Volvo Masters of Asia in Thailand and earning the Rookie of the Year award in the same season.
“All the credit goes to the wife. I can’t deny that. Ever since I got engaged, I’ve been playing well,” laughed the 34-year-old Kapur, who married his wife Maya on the holiday isle of Bali on April 3.
“It was pretty good with the way the wind was blowing. It was tough to pick where the wind was coming from but I hope the conditions stay like this during the weekend. I’ve been playing in Europe for the last 10 years and I have the experience to play in a lot of wind,” he said.
Shiv’s compatriot Rahil Gangjee dropped 24 places to tied 37th after his second round of 73 that took his total to even-par-142.
Jeev Milkha Singh was the third Indian to make the cut as he posted a 70 on Friday to climb seven spots to tied 61st at two-over-144.
The halfway cut was set at two-over-144 with a total of 78 players making the weekend.
The Indians who missed the cut, were, Gaganjeet Bhullar (146), Chiragh Kumar (146), Jyoti Randhawa (146) and Himmat Rai (149).
At the European Tour’s Shenzhen International, SSP Chawrasia’s second round four-under-68 propelled him 38 places to tied 10th at the end of the weather-interrupted second day.
Chawrasia (72-68), with a total of four-under-140, trailed the second day’s clubhouse leader Soomin Lee of Korea by nine strokes when play was suspended due to inclement weather on Friday.
At the Asian Development Tour’s ICTSI Sherwood Hills Classic, India’s Khalin Joshi (73-74-69) shot a third round of three-under-69 to make a gain of six places. He ended the day in tied 16th at even-par-216, nine strokes behind the leader Kasidit Lepkurte of Thailand.
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