Jeev tied 10th in Hong Kong Open golf

Jeev Milkha Singh saved Indian golf contingent the blushes as he roared into title contention once again with a stunning seven-under 63 that raised him to tied 10th place at the midway stage of the $2.5 million UBS Hong Kong Open here Friday.

The 37-year-old Jeev, who has virtually sealed the Asian Tour Order of Merit with his triumph at the Singapore Open, is six-under 134 for two rounds after his sedate opening round of 71.

Jeev was one of three Indians - the other being Jyoti Randhawa (68) and Gaurav Ghei (69) - to make the cut as six others fell by the wayside and exited from the tournament, missing the cut.

Randhawa, who partners Jeev at the World Cup next week, recovered from a mid-round lapse with two birdies and no bogeys on the back nine for a two-under 68 that placed him tied 46th at one-under 139. Ghei squeezed inside the cut line despite a late bogey on his 17th hole, the eighth of the course.

"The putting came together. I worked on it yesterday and got a little bit of feel on the greens. I went out there and holed some big putts, and I think that was the reason I shot a 63 today," said Jeev.

Rahil Gangjee's hopes of sealing his 2009 Asian Tour card suffered a setback as he dropped four bogeys in a row from the third to the seventh and missed the cut by one.

Shiv Kapur failed to find the elusive birdie on his last three holes and ended with a card 69 and missed the cut by one. Arjun Atwal (69) missed the cut missed the cut by two at three-over 143, while Amandeep Johl (75) missed the cut by three, S.S.P. Chowrasia (74) missed by six and Digvijay Singh (77) missed by eight. Daniel Chopra (77) also missed the weekend action by six.

Jeev was two shots behind the four co-leaders, Thailand's Chawalit Plaphol (66), South African Louis Oosthuizen (62), Oliver Wilson (66) and Oliver Fisher (65) while five others including first round co-leader Richard Sterne (69) and Colin Montgomerie (65) were among the five players one shot behind in tied fifth.

Chawalit struck five birdies against a lone bogey in the second round at the Hong Kong Golf Club for an eight-under-par 132 total. He was matched by Oosthuizen who enjoyed a bogey free 62, Wilson who fired a 66 alongside Fisher who improved with a 65.

Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain was also in a tie for 61st place after a 69.

(477 Words)21111954NNNN (IANS)

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