Randhawa lone Indian to make cut at Volvo China Open

SUZHOU - Jyoti Randhawa was the only one of the four Indians at the Volvo China Open on the European Tour to ensure weekend action after making the cut here Friday.

The other three, Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia, Shiv Kapur and Gaganjeet Bhullar missed the halfway cut, which came at even par 144.

Randhawa shot a second round 70 to make up for his first round 74 and finished at even par 144 in tied 62nd place right at the cut line. Chowrasia with identical round of 73, 73 missed the cut, while Kapur after a first round 75 shot a 71 in second but still made an early exit. Bhullar added a 73 to his first round 74 and finished at 147 and exited.

Meanwhile, a solitary error at the last robbed Kim Do-hoon of a two shot lead midway through the second round of the Volvo China Open and the in-form Korean was forced to settle for a single stroke advantage over fellow overnight leader Thongchai Jaidee and Welshman Jamie Donaldson.

Following a maiden career victory on his home tour just last week Kim and Asian No.1 Jaidee held a two shot lead after sparkling eight under par opening rounds at Suzhou Jinji Lake Golf Club.

But Kim’s bid for a bogey-free second round and a two shot lead of his own came unstuck on the final green on a sunny but breezy second day and a three under 67 was only enough for 11 under par overall and a slender lead over Jaidee (70) and Donaldson (68), with American Ryder Cup Captain Corey Pavin (70) and Korea’s Kim Dae-hyun (67) a further three shots off the pace.

Kim picked up three shots in four holes around the turn, but the 21 year old misjudged the wind into the final green and failed to make the up and down to concede a single blemish.

Jaidee, 40, remained firmly in contention with a two under 70 although the Thai ace was let down by the putting which has been the key to a recent spell of good form that has yielded two top ten finishes this year and a run to the quarter-finals of the World Golf Championships - Accenture Match Play.

Donaldson finished sixth at the Open de Andalucia in Malaga at the end of March and is well-placed to land his maiden European Tour title after posting six birdies in his four under 68.