SSP Chawrasia makes Oman Open cut, Shubhankar Sharma misses by a whisker

Muscat: Indian golfer SSP Chawrasia made a fine comeback on the back nine with a three-under 69, ensuring his weekend stay at the Oman Open. Chawrasia, a two-time champion at the Hero Indian Open, is now two-under for 36 holes with rounds of 73 and 69, making him Tied-33rd.

Shubhankar Sharma managed to add only a par 72 to his first round 73 and was one-over for the tournament. He finished Tied-71 and missed the cut by one shot.

Chawrasia was happy with his fine comeback on the second nine, which was the front nine of the Al Mouj Course which is hosting a European Tour event for the first time. Chawrasia starting from the tenth, birdied 12th, but dropped shots on 13th and 16th to turn in one-over. On his second nine, he drained an excellent 15-footer for birdie on Par-5 third hole, which was his 12th.

“That changed the momentum and it was the turning point for me. All the four birdies that I had on my second nine were 12 feet and over. Then came the 30-footer on eighth, my 17th, to make it three-under,” said Chawrasia.

He added, “I felt good because the second nine was a solid comeback and it puts me in the right frame. I putted well and my ball striking was better than the first day. In the first day, the three-putts spoilt my momentum. Now I am looking forward to the weekend."

Shubhankar found birdies tough to come. He had one on third and then none for the rest of the day but he did drop a shot on sixth for the second day running. He also missed a few putts, which cost him dearly. Pavon, still searching for a first win on the European Tour, put himself in an excellent position with a second-round 65 which moved him to 11-under for a two-shot lead over England's Matthew Southgate.

English duo Paul Waring and Chris Wood were at 8-under, a shot clear of Dutchman Daan Huizing, who is playing on an invite this week. Southgate had set the clubhouse target in the morning with a 70 that would have been better but for a poor tee-shot on the last, which he double bogeyed.
Wood, who missed his first three cuts this season, seems to have recovered his form with a bogey-free 66. Another Dutchman in Joost Luiten fired a 66 to sit at six under alongside Frenchman Julien Guerrier and Swede Marcus Kinhult, who both signed for rounds of 69. Open Championship winner and 2014 Ryder Cup Captain Darren Clarke was then in a group of nine players and six shots off the lead.