Pinehurst (USA) July 26 (IANS) Mahreen Bhatia of India, who has been on the podium for the last two years looked set for another fine finish as she shot a bogey-free 5-under 67 to move into the second place after two rounds in Girls 15-18 Category of the US Kids World Teen Championship at Pinehurst. There is one more round to go.

Mahreen, a multiple medallist at various international events, had three birdies against two bogeys in the first round, but she was in great form in the second round as she birdied five times without dropping a shot. She birdied the second, fourth, sixth, eighth and the 14th holes to take her total to 6-under 138 at Pinehurst 5 course.

Mahreen’s 67 was the day’s equal best round alongside the leader American Kady Matsumoto (68-67).

In the Boys 15-18, Vihaan Jain, who was the leader with 67, suffered a dramatic drop with a second round 78 and that saw him slip to T-13. In the first round, he had six birdies against one bogey, while in the second he had just one birdie against seven bogeys for a 6-over 78 at Pinehurst No. 8.

Arshvant Srivastava, who has regularly qualified for the US Kids World Championship, suffered a heart-breaking triple bogey on a Par-5 in his second round but fought back to card 3-over 75 after a first round 71. At 2-over he is T-20, down from T-9 after the first day.

Arshvant had four birdies, four bogeys and a triple in his second round.

Two other two Indians in the Girls 15-18 were Ayesha Gupta (73-73) in T-12th, down two places from her first round tenth, and Asara Sawhney (74-75), who was T-24, down one place from her first round.

In Girls 13, Anushka Gupta (78-76) was T-12, up five places from her position after the first day.

–IANS

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