Bhullar fires 67 to grab lead in second round in Panasonic India event

Bhullar, a two-time Asian Tour winner, found all 14 fairways from the tees for a two-day total of five-under-par 139 to take a one shot lead over Wade Ormsby of Australia, who returned with a 67 at the Delhi Golf Club.

Peter Karmis of South Africa, a winner on the Asian Tour, Niall Turner of Ireland and Sanjay Kumar of India were a further shot back in the US$300,000 event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and PGTI. The second round is yet to be completed.

Starting from the 10th tee, Bhullar got off to a fast start as he sank a 30-foot chip in birdie on the 13th hole and fired an eagle-three on the next hole when his six-iron approach shot landed six feet from the hole.

Ormsby, a former European Tour player, fired a flawless round but conceded that his short game could be sharper.

 

Yang grabs one-stroke lead

 

South Korean Amy Yang fired a six-under 66 on Thursday (yesterday Bangkok time) at Rancho Mirage, California to take a one-shot lead over Australian Lindsey Wright after one round of the LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship.

Breathing down their necks was world No 1 Yani Tseng of Taiwan, who was third after a first-round 68 in the first major championship of the women’s golf season.

Tseng is a five-time major champion who has won two straight LPGA tournaments and three of her five LPGA events this season, while Yang and Wright are both seeking a first LPGA Tour title.

Yang, 22, nabbed five birdies in the span of seven holes from the fifth at Mission Hills, in the California desert east of Los Angeles.

She also chipped in for birdie from the fringe at 13. Overall, she had eight birdies and two bogeys.

A former teenage sensation, three years removed from a win on the Ladies European Tour, Yang has five top-10 finishes in major championships but has not been able to claim an LPGA title.

Thai contenders Pornanong Phatlum and Ariya Jutanugarn hit a one-under-par 71 to share 18th position after round one on Thursday.

Thai No 1 Pornanong, starting at the back nine, shot an eagle on the 11th hole before suffering back-to-back bogeys on the fourth and fifth holes. But a finishing birdie on the ninth helped her reserve a top 20 spot.

Amateur Ariya Jutanugarn who got a wildcard to the year’s opening major, swapped four birdies against three bogeys before finishing her inconsistent round with a stroke in favour. She and Pornanong were five shots off leader Amy Yang of Taiwan.

Ariya’s elder sister Moriya, also an amateur. hit five over par to stand at the joint 103rd position. 

 

Cabrera, Pettersson set pace

 

In Houston, Texas, Angel Cabrera and Carl Pettersson were home and dry in the clubhouse on seven-under 65 Thursday, heading the leaderboard as thunderstorms stopped play at the US PGA Tour Houston Open.

Only 51 players completed their rounds before the inclement weather brought play to a halt at Redstone, the first such delay for the event since 2009. Defending champion Phil Mickelson, Fred Couples and South African Ernie Els – who needs a victory to qualify for next week's Masters – had yet to make the turn when play was suspended.