Shiv Kapur, Rashid Khan share lead at halfway stage of Jeev Milkha Singh Invitational

Shiv Kapur and Rashid Khan were tied at the top at the midway stage of the Jeev Milkha Singh Invitational 2021 at the Chandigarh Golf Club.

The Dubai-based Shiv (64-68) carded another bogey-free round to hold his top position.

Rashid, on the other hand, had a five-under 67 that included seven birdies and two bogeys.

Chandigarh’s Aadil Bedi (68-65) shot the day’s best score of seven-under 65 to move up five spots to third place at 11-under 133.

The cut came down at even-par 144. Sixty professionals and two amateurs made the cut.

Tournament host Jeev Milkha Singh (75-72) missed the cut despite a steady even-par 72 in round two. He totalled three-over 147 for the week.

Two-time Asian Tour winner Rashid Khan jumped from overnight third to tied first. Rashid was one-under through the front-nine and then pushed ahead with a four-under on the back-nine. Khan attributed his low score to his good course management.

Aadil Bedi’s 65 brought him into contention. 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 the 15th and converted four more birdies from a range of 10 to 15 feet.

Delhi’s Kshitij Naveed Kaul produced a second consecutive 67 to occupy a fourth place at 10-under 134.

Chandigarh’s Abhijit Singh Chadha slipped from the overnight joint lead to tied fifth at nine-under 135 following his second round of 71.

Among the other prominent names in the field, former champion Ajeetesh Sandhu of Chandigarh was tied 11th at five-under 139. while another former champion Chikkarangappa of Bengaluru, was a further shot back in tied 15th. SSP Chawrasia lies tied 18th at three-under 141.

The defending champion and PGTI Order of Merit leader Karandeep Kochhar was tied 21st at two-under 142 along-with India’s international star Jyoti Randhawa.