Indians to the fore: Thomas shoots day's best of 64 in Singapore

Rayhan Thomas brought home the day's best card of 6-under 64 in the 120-player field as Indians shone in the second round of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championships at the New Tanjong Golf Course here Friday.

Thomas' 64 was also the best-ever by an Indian at AAC event in 10 years.

Three of the day's six best cards were from the Indians. Besides Thomas, two other Indians shot 4-under 66 each to ensure three Indians in the Top-15 of the elite event, which sends the winner to the Masters and The Open next year.

Five of the six Indians made the cut.

Left-handed Kartik Sharma, who plays at the DLF, had a bogeyfree 66 to be the best Indian at 3-under 137 and Tied-12th.

Thomas (74-64), who improved his first round by 10 shots, is 2-under 138 alongside Yuvraj Sandhu (72-66), whose coach Jesse Grewal also trains Shubhankar Sharma and Ajeetesh Sandhu. Both Thomas and Sandhu, who plans to turn pro immediately after this week, are Tied-15th.

While Kartik is five behind co-leaders Cheng Jin (67), the 2015 AAC Champion, and Philippines Lloyd Jefferson Go (67), Thomas and Sandhu are six behind.

"Five or six shots is gettable," said a confident Sandhu.

"I will turn pro next week, unless I win over the next two days, in which case I must stay amateur to play the two Majors."
"After my first round 71, I spoke to my brother and he told me a couple of things about my swing and they worked well. I hit the ball good and putted well, too. But I did miss a few inside 10 feet. Happily I was bogey-free."
Dubai-based Thomas, who won a pro event in the Middle East while being an amateur, said, "I was upset with my round yesterday, but I also knew that I had a low round in me. I have been swinging very well recently and it was just a matter of some putts falling in."