Ajeetesh Sandhu carded a bogey-free 3-under 70 to become the leading Indian at the halfway stage of the US$2 million International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco. Sandhu, who opened with a 1-under 72, now stands at 4-under and tied for 25th place.
Indian Performances
Gaganjeet Bhullar, a four-time Asian Tour winner, slipped to tied 47th after a 74, despite a run of four consecutive birdies on the front nine. Karandeep Kochhar, another Asian Tour winner, also sits at tied 47th with rounds of 72 and 72. They were the only other Indians to make the cut.
Seven of the ten Indians who started missed the cut, including Shauryra Bhattacharya, SSP Chawrasia, and Anirban Lahiri, who missed by one shot. Rashid Khan, Aryan Roopa Anand, and Udayan Mane also exited early.
Watson Shares Lead
Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson joined Thailand's Pavit Tangkamolprasert at the top of the leaderboard. The 47-year-old Watson fired a 7-under 66, the lowest round of the day, to reach 11-under 135 total. He hit 15 of 18 fairways and made eight birdies against a single bogey.
Pavit, who closed with a 3-under 70, had two bogeys in his first eight holes but recovered with birdies on the 17th and 18th holes. They lead Korea's Younghan Song (69) by one shot.
Other Contenders
Australia's Travis Smyth (70), International Series Japan champion and Asian Tour Order of Merit leader, is tied for fourth at 9-under with defending champion Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe (67) and Taichi Kho of Hong Kong (69). Thailand's Jazz Janewattananond (67) and Suteepat Prateeptienchai (69) are tied at 8-under.
Morocco's Mehdi El Fakori was the only local player to make the cut, with rounds of 74 and 70.
The International Series Morocco is the third leg of elevated events on the Asian Tour and is being held in Morocco for the fourth time.
