It was early Diwali celebrations for Jyoti Randhawa, who fired a superb seven-under 65 to climb to tied-fifth position at the mid-way stage of the Yen 100 million Bridgestone Open, an event on the Japanese PGA Tour, being played at the par-72 Sodeguara Country Club in Chiba.
According to reports, Jeev MIlkha Singh, the other Indian in the fray, disappointed with his second straight card of one-over 73, forcing him out of the draw for the deciding rounds.
Jeev's tournament tally stood at two-over 146, tying him at 84th position.
Hiroyuki Fujita led the field at 12-under 132, along with fellow-Japanese professional Daisuke Maruyama, while Australian Paul Sheehan was placed third, one stroke behind the leaders.
Hajime Meshiai occupied the fourth position at ten-under 134, while Randhawa was accompanied by Naomichi Ozaki at fifth place at nine-under 135.
If asked to name his favourite city in Japan, Randhawa would unhesitatingly pick Chiba. This was where he experienced arguably his best moment in professional golf, a victory at the Suntory Open, the first by an Indian on the Japanese PGA Tour. Today, he moved one step closer towards further glory.
Randhawa's second day round had just one blemish. A bogey on the 14th. Otherwise the 31-year old could hardly err. Birdies dotted his card on the third, sixth and ninth to place him at three-under at the lemon break. Thereafter he went on a birdie blitz, burning up the Sodegura course with five more birdies on the 12th, 13th, 15th, 16th and 18th.
"It was one of those days. When nothing could go wrong," said the Gurgaon-based golfer.
"I have found my feet on the Japanese PGA Tour hope to make the most of my form this week," added the golfer, whose putting was the reason for his outstanding round of 65.
Randhawa returned 26 putts and found 15 greens in regulation.
Jeev's was altogether a different story. The Hero Honda-sponsored golfer, struggled on the greens, returning as many as 34 putts for this round. Jeev, into his third season on the Japanese PGA Tour, looked good early on with birdies on the second and seventh before a string of bogeys on the ninth, 14th and 17th pushed him out of contention.
"My short game just let me down. I missed five greens in regulation and struggled with my feel on the greens," said a dejected Jeev, who now heads to India to participate in the US $ 300,000 Hero Honda Masters.
Hiroyuki Fujita, winner of the season-starting Asian Japanese Okinawa Open, returned an error-free round with birdies on the second, sixth, eighth, 11th, 13th and 16th for his 66.
The other leader, Maruyama, had one dropped shot on the 16th with birdies on the first, second, ninth, 11th, 12th and 18th handing him a card of 67.
Scores (after 36 holes): 132_Hiroyuki Fujita(66,66), Daisuke Maruyama(65,67); 133_Paul Sheehan(66,67); 134_Hajime Meshiai(71,63); 135_Naomichi Ozaki(66,69), Jyoti Randhawa(70,65); 136_Hidemasa Hoshino(66,70), Jong Duck-Kim(69,67); 137_Nobuo Serizawa(71,66), Shingo Katayama(69,68), Tim Petrovic(67,70).
