Kapil Kumar ahead by two shots in PGTI championship

Delhi's Kapil Kumar took a two-shot lead after the second round of the PGTI Players Championship at the Coimbatore Golf Club here Thursday.

Kapil followed up his course record 65 in round one with a three-under-69 to move his total to 10-under 134. Naman Dawar also from Delhi and Mhow's Om Prakash Chouhan occupied joint second place at eight-under-136.

Kapil Kumar (65-69), the overnight joint leader, who started from the 10th Thursday, had a slow start to the day as he bogeyed the 11th. His first birdie of the day came on the 14th courtesy a 10-feet conversion.

The 21-year-old then made two birdies and two bogeys over the next four holes to make the turn at even-par. Kapil had landed it within five feet for birdie on the 17th.

Kapil picked up pace on the front-nine as he converted an eight-feet birdie putt on the third and followed it up with an excellent tee shot on the fourth which left him a four-footer for birdie. He closed with a birdie on the par-5 ninth to end up with a three-under for the day.

"I'm quite pleased with my effort as the conditions were tough with the wind coming into play. The wind made club-selection difficult and as a result I ended up using the wrong clubs on two occasions that led to bogeys.

"Nonetheless, my putting was consistent and I didn't lose focus despite the bogeys in the first half. I was once again better in the second half of my round and pulled it back towards the end.

"I capitalised on the relatively shorter par-4 15th for the second day. I'm well placed at the halfway stage and would look to keep it going," said Kapil whose father Gast Ram is also a professional on the PGTI.

Chouhan and Dawar shot scores of 68 for the second successive day. Chouhan chipped-in for eagle on the par-4 15th, sank two long birdie putts on the first and ninth and landed it within a few inches for birdie on the 13th.

Dawar, on the other hand, picked up four straight birdies from the fourth to the seventh besides another birdie and a bogey. He chipped-in on the fourth, converted a 20-footer on the sixth and landed it within a couple of feet for birdie on the 13th.

The Kolkata duo of Feroz Ali Mollah and Shankar Das were in tied fourth along with Meerut's Amardip Sinh Malik at six-under-138. Ali's six-under-66 was the best round of the day. It included eight birdies and a double-bogey.

Defending champion Rashid Khan of Delhi was tied ninth at four-under-140 after his second round score of 71.

Vikrant Chopra, who shot a course record 65 to be the joint leader in round one, slipped to tied 21st after a 78 in round two. His total now reads one-under-143.

The cut was declared at three-over-147. Fifty-six professionals made the cut.

The four Coimbatore golfers in the fray, S Muthu (eight-over 152), M Rajesh Kumar (nine-over 153), Joseph Chakola (10-over 154) and Ilayaraja C (19-over 163), missed the cut.

Leading scores: 134 - Kapil Kumar (65-69); 136 - Naman Dawar (68-68), Om Prakash Chouhan (68-68); 138 - Amardip Sinh Malik (70-68), Feroz Ali Mollah (72-66), Shankar Das (71-67).