Macau Open Golf: Bhullar leads field, Sandhu second

New Delhi: India’s golfers came up with a dominant performance on Friday with Gaganjeet Bhullar and two others in the top-five at the halfway stage of the Macau Open.

Bhullar (64-65), winner of seven Asian Tour events, eagled the 18th hole to build up a massive five-shot lead over Ajeetesh Sandhu (66-67).

Bhullar was 13-under for 36 holes, while Sandhu, who won an Asian Tour event in Taipei and a Japanese Challenge Tour event in his previous two starts in two weeks, was nine under par.

Shubhankar Sharma (69-68) was tied-5th at five-under 136, while Rashid Khan (70-70) was T-14th at two-under 140, and Chiragh Kumar (70-71), Khalin Joshi (70-71) 
and S. Chikkarangappa (69-72) were all T-20 at one-under 141.

Jyoti Randhawa (70-73), M. Dharma (74-70), and Himmat Rai (73-72) also made the cut. Missing out were Honey Baisoya, Rahil Gangjee, Aman Raj, Arjun Prasad and Udayan Mane.

The 29-year-old Bhullar stayed on course for his eighth Asian Tour title with five birdies, an eagle and one bogey, his only error in 36 holes. 

Chawrasia in for Mauritius Open

In Port Louis, Mauritius, reigning Indian Open champion and four-time European Tour winner S.S.P. Chawrasia has added his name to a strong Asian challenge for the 2017 AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open at The Heritage Golf Club this November.

Chawrasia joins Asian Tour star, Scott Hend of Australia, currently ranked third on the Order of Merit, in a field that also includes 2010 Open champion Louis Oosth-uizen, multiple European Tour winners Brandon Stone and George Coetzee, and rising French professional Romain Langasque.

Chawrasia hopes to make a push for the Asian Tour Order of Merit crown with a solid performance at the Mauritius Open. He is currently ranked fourth on the Merit ranking and has a fighting chance to win the accolade for the first time in his career.