Shiv Kapur leads at Dubai Open

Shiv Kapur

Dubai, Dec 19 (IANS)

India's Shiv Kapur Friday fired a superb six-under 66 to share the lead with Thai Pavit Tangkamolprasert while Arjun Atwal and Gaganjeet Bhullar finished joint third after the second round of the $500,000 Dubai Open golf here.

Shiv, who triumphed here on the European Challenge Tour at the end of last season, maintained his love affair with the vibrant city, holing out for a stunning two from the fairway at the par-four first hole before adding five more birdies against one bogey at the par-72 Els Club Dubai.

Newly crowned Asian Development Tour number one Pavit continued to show his potential with a battling 70 which tied Shiv on seven-under 137, one ahead of Indian duo Atwal (65) and Bhullar (69), Scotsman Simon Yates (67)and Korean teenager Wang Jeung-hun (67) in what is the final tournament of the 2014 Asian Tour season.

Thailand's Prom Meesawat, needing a victory to finish second on the Order of Merit and qualify for the WGC-Cadillac Championship, carded a steady 68 for tied seventh place with Middle East and North Africa Tour's number one Joshua White and Japan's Daisuke Kataoka.

The 32-year-old Shiv got off to a flying start by holing out a six iron for his opening eagle before finishing strongly with birdies on 16th and 17th to enhance his chances of winning a second Asian Tour victory.

"Solid performance ... started off holing my second shot, so that's always a great way to start the day and I pretty much just eliminated the mistakes on my card," said Shiv, who was the Asian Tour Rookie of the Year in 2005.

"Made one bogey in two rounds and I haven't made a ton of putts or a ton of birdies but when you keep the bogeys off the card, you're usually going to be there or thereabouts.

The 41-year-old Atwal, Asia's number one in 2003, produced a fine seven-birdie card to charge into contention.

"It felt really good, actually. Felt like the old days," smiled the 41-year-old Atwal, the first Indian to win on the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) Tour in 2010.

Three weeks into his comeback following a three-month lay-off due to a wrist injury, Bhullar showed he was also back in top form with four birdies on the card, including two in his last three holes.

Other Indians in the fray, Jeev Milkha Singh finished tied 46th while Jyoti Randhawa took joint 68th position. S.S.P. Chowrasia and Chiragh Kumar shared 75th position with three others.

Leaderboard:

137: Shiv Kapur (IND) 71-66, Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA) 67-70.

138: Arjun Atwal (IND) 73-65, Gaganjeet Bhullar (IND) 69-69, Simon Yates (SCO) 71-67, Wang Jeung-hun (KOR) 71-67.

139: Daisuke Kataoka (JPN) 73-66, Prom Meesawat (THA) 71-68, Joshua White (ENG) 71-68.

140: Bryce Easton (RSA) 69-71, Pariya Junhasavasdikul (THA) 68-72, Chawalit Plaphol (THA) 71-69, Chapchai Nirat (THA) 71-69.

141: Joonas Granberg (FIN) 72-69, Mo Joong-kyung (KOR) 70-71, Craig Hinton (ENG) 67-74, Lam Chih Bing (SIN) 67-74, Ross Mcgowan (ENG) 71-70, Thitiphun Chuayprakong (THA) 70-71, Scott Barr (AUS) 68-73, Panuphol Pittayarat (THA) 69-72, Danny Chia (MAS) 71-70, Nicholas Fung (MAS) 71-70, Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG) 70-71, Nathan Holman (AUS) 68-73, Marcus Both (AUS) 70-71, Christopher Cannon (ENG) 67-74, Chan Shih-chang (TPE) 70-71.