Shubhankar Sharma continued to stay in contention for his maiden Asian Tour title as he added a three-under 68 to his first-round 66 to be placed just one shot off the lead at the midway stage of the Bashundhara Bangladesh Open here today.
The 20-year-old Indian, who shared the overnight lead, was placed second. He is one shot behind overnight co-leader Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond (66-67).
At 10-under, Shubhankar, who was third at the same event last year, was two clear of third placed Thai duo, Rattanon Wannasrichan (70-64) and Panuphol Pittyarat (66-68).
Despite giving away some shots, Shubhankar said he was satisfied that he had reached his first goal. “My target was to shoot 10-under for the first two rounds and I managed to do it. I am looking forward to the next two rounds.”
Three other Indians are in Top-10 with Chiragh Kumar (68-70) at Tied-seventh and Khalin Joshi (69-70) and Udayan Mane (71-68), who shares coach Vijay Divecha with Anirban Lahiri, placed at Tied-ninth.
Also making the cut at the halfway stage were Rashid Khan (73-67) at Tied-18th, Honey Baisoya (70-73) and Sujjan Singh (72-71) are Tied-36th while Jeev Milkha Singh (74-70) and Mukesh Kumar (70-74) are Tied-50th and M. Dharma (74-71) is Tied-64th.
Ten Indians made the weekend rounds but four golfers - Ajeetesh Sandhu, Kapil Kumar, debutant Arjun Prasad and C. Muniyappa missed the cut.
Shubhankar had mixed feelings about his round. “The round wasn’t as smooth as it was yesterday but it was still a good round. I hit the ball decent although I would like it to be better. My ball striking today was not too bad. I made less birdies and two bogeys which I shouldn’t have made. It could have been easy pars.”
Leader Jazz, 21, who lived as a monk for two weeks back home in Bangkok last December, traded seven birdies against three bogeys to lead on 11-under-par 132 total at the Kurmitola Golf Club. Local hero, Siddikur, two-time winner on Asian tour, shot 66 to move up from Tied-29th to fifth.
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