Jeev makes cut at PGA Championship

HAZELTINE - India’s Jeev Milkha Singh crossed the first hurdle as he successfully made the weekend rounds with a second round 73 despite a late bogey in the 91st PGA Championships at the Hazeltine National Golf Club.

Jeev is now tied 48th and 10-shots off the leader Tiger Woods after the second round Friday.

“It was a relief of sorts, but I never doubted that I would not be there (weekend), said Jeev, who had a two day total of three-over 147 as the cut came at four-over 148.

I am looking forward to improving my position over the weekend, said Jeev, who missed the British Open due to a side muscle injury last month.

While Tiger Woods is way ahead, the crowd behind him is thick. A mere four shots separate Jeev from the group at tied ninth and it included Ernie Els, whose day-best of 68 carried him from 95th to ninth.

While Jeev, tied ninth at 2008 PGA Championship, played steady despite a late hiccup which saw him drop a shot on eighth, his 17th hole of the day. His playing partners Retief Goosen and Justin Leonard went through some agonising moments before squeezing into the cut.

At the top, Woods was virtually ruling the roost at seven-under 137 and with a four-shot lead over the crowded second placed group of four players, the world No. 1 looked all set for his 15th Major.

Woods, who missed the cut at British Open after finishing sixth at both the Masters and US Open, shot a 70, which included three birdies from 14th and the 16th and a closing bogey on 18th.

Jeev started with a birdie once again, just as he had in the first round. This time he started on the tenth hole. But he gave that away with two bogeys on 13th and 16th and needed a birdie on 18th to turn in even par.

On the second stretch, he bogeyed the par-five third, but quickly recovered for a birdie on par-3 fourth. As he was cruising at even par, he bogeyed the eighth to drop to 73 and three-over for the tournament.

Vijay Singh kept up his bid for a third US PGA Championship title with a battling 72. He won the PGA Championship in 1998 and 2004.