Sentosa (Singapore), Jan 19 (IANS) Indian golfer Shiv Kapur and Gaganjeet Bhullar finished tied sixth and joint ninth, respectively, after the second round of the SMBC Singapore Open here on Friday.

The 35-year-old Shiv shot a 67 to go into the weekend just two shots off the leader Chapchai Nirat of Thailand. Chapchai has a two-day total of seven-under 135.

Shiv performed brilliantly on his opening nine (10th to 18th) as the made the turn at five-under-par at the Sentosa Golf Club.

“Starting the day, I was even-par and I had a hole and a half to play. I birdied 18th to shoot one-under this morning. Then, I came out playing really good,” Shiv said in an Asian Tour release.

“Five-under-par on the back nine, but I lost my way in the front, my back nine. It’s a tough course and there is no let up here. You hit one or two bad shots and it gets you.”

Bhullar carded one-over 72 in the second round. He has a two-day total of four-under 138.

Veteran Arjun Atwal scored 67 to be joint 31st with a total of two-under 140, while fellow veteran Jyoti Randhawa was tied 42nd.

Khalin Joshi was tied 65th after a 71 which took his total to one-over 143.

Meanwhile, Chapchai rolled back the years and carded a blistering seven-under 64 to capture the clubhouse lead. The burley 34-year-old did not put a foot wrong in round two as he fired seven birdies to lead by one shot over Tirawat Kaewsiribandit of Thailand and Shaun Norris of South Africa.

Tirawat stayed in the hunt after carding a second-round 70. The Thai golfer maintained his good form after an opening 66 and started steadily with 10 straight pars. He scored a bogey and two birdies before ending his round.

Norris is experiencing a happy homecoming so far after spending a year away from the Asian Tour by carding a 67 on Friday. He enjoyed a bogey-free round that is highlighted by an eagle on the fourth and birdies on the second and 14th.

–IANS
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