Singapore, Nov 7 (IANS) India’s Ajeetesh Sandhu added a 3-under 69 to his first round 70 at the ongoing Moutai Singapore Open to make the cut with a total of 5-under 139 at the Singapore Island Country Club here on Friday. Sandhu had a fast start as he started from the back nine of the course on Friday and picked up three birdies in his first nine holes. He, however, failed to pick up further pace on his back nine, finishing T50 at the halfway mark in the US$2 million event.

Meanwhile, Soomin Lee grabbed the lead at the halfway mark after making a birdie on the last two holes – rekindling memories of previous exploits here on the New Course at Singapore Island Country Club a mere 14 years ago.

The Korean shot a second-round eight-under-par 64 to reach 12-under for a two-shot advantage over a group of 10 players: Kevin Yuan (64), Matthew Cheung (64), Ian Snyman (65), Wang Wei-hsuan (66), John Catlin (66), Sarit Suwannarut (66), James Piot (66), Caleb Surratt (68), Ollie Schniederjans (68), plus Jeunghun Wang (70). Japan’s Yosuke Asaji and Tomoyo Ikemura both made the cut, with Asaji carding a two-under 70 to move to seven-under overall, while Ikemura posted a four-under 68 to sit at six-under heading into the weekend.

The event, being played for the first time since 2022, is the penultimate stop this year on The International Series – the series of upper-tier events on the Asian Tour that offer a pathway to the LIV Golf League.

Remarkably, Lee shot a 64 here in 2011 to finish second in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, behind none other than former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, who claimed the title for the second successive year. “I have good memories here, no doubt,” said Lee. “It’s why, when I come here, I feel comfortable and play with more confidence.”

He is facing a very different New Course this week as it has been re-designed, but that did not hold him back as he carded nine birdies, including four on the trot from the third, and one bogey. That bogey came on the second, before it was followed immediately after by those four birdies.

“I started a little slow but bounced back. Yesterday I felt something really good with my putter. I felt that if I hit fairways and greens, I would have chances today. That’s why I played well today,” he said. The penultimate hole is a reachable par-four, while the par-five 18th is within range in two.

“Numbers 17 and 18, I felt, are easy holes,” he explained. “I can hit the green at numbers 17 and 18. If I hit a good driver, I can go for the green on 17, like today. On 18, I was just short in two and got up and down for a four,” he said.

The 32-year-old turned professional three years after the Asia-Pacific Amateur and has won once before on the DP World Tour, at the 2016 Shenzhen International, and is a five-time winner on the Korean PGA Tour.

He has played on the Asian Tour for the past decade, finishing second on two occasions. He recorded a top-10 finish in the International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus two weeks ago – a timely result that helped move him into 72nd position on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, putting him back in the running to keep his card for next year.

That issue will be resolved within a good week. Reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Catlin was bogey-free today, making an eagle and four birdies. “Pretty solid,” said the American, a six-time winner on the Asian Tour. You know, I drained a long one for eagle on four, it’s always nice, but it’s just a solid bogey-free round of golf, it’s nice to play some good golf.

“I’m definitely playing better, you know, the misses are better. I felt like my good rounds have been good, but my bad ones have been costing me. And, you know, last week in Hong Kong, it was the same, I felt like my misses were very playable.

“I didn’t get as much out of my game as I would have liked, but yeah, I felt like my misses are very playable. And, you know, I kept that going this week, and I think I got only two bogeys for 36 holes, so yeah, it’s nice to see the hard work paying off.”

Wang lost in a sudden-death play-off at the SJM Macao Open three weeks ago and is leading this year’s Taiwan PGA Tour, with three wins. He is back in contention this week, crediting his debut on the PGA Tour this year for his fine form.

“In June, I got into the Canadian Open for my first PGA Tour event, and I watched a lot of great players,” said the Chinese-Taipei golfer, who is one of the biggest hitters on the Asian Tour. I think that was good for my improvement. I could see what the best in the world do and how they hit their shots. I saw what I needed to improve on to get better.”

He made it through to the tournament after negotiating a pre-qualifier.

Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, the International Series Rankings leader, and Japan’s Kazuki Higa, the Asian Tour Order of Merit leader, both surprisingly missed the cut to open the door for their nearest challengers. The cut was made at three under with Vincent agonisingly missing by one after a 69, and Higa by three following a 73.

Filipino Miguel Tabuena, who is second on the rankings and third in the Order of Merit behind Higa and Vincent, came in with a 68 and is now in the driver’s seat on eight under with two rounds to take advantage.

Two members of the Singapore amateur team who competed in the World Amateur Team Championship on home soil recently also excelled today.

Brayden Lee fired a 68 to move to seven under, while Troy Storm shot a 72 to sit at five under. Storm, just 16, fired a brilliant 67 yesterday but was three over for his round today after 13 holes and in danger of missing the cut. However, he produced a stirring fight back on his home course, making birdie on three of the last four. He is in exalted company, tied with England’s Paul Casey, one of the tournament’s marquee players, who carded a 70.

–IANS

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