Atwal makes the cut on PGA Tour debut

Star Indian golfer Arjun Atwal strung together a well compiled two-under 68 to make the cut at the Sony Open in Hawai, his very first outing on the prestigious US PGA Tour.

Atwal, who in end 2003 became the first ever Indian to qualify for the biggest stage in world golf, rests on the bubble with a two-day tally of one-under 139, the very score at which the cut was applied.

The tournament is being played at the par-70, Waialae Country Club, Honolulu.

According to reports, Daniel Chopra, the Swede of Indian origin, also into his first season on the PGA Tour, slipped out of contention despite tying for the ninth position in his opening round.

Chopra, followed up his day one 67, with a 73 today, thereby slipping to a tally of level-par 140.

Meanwhile, Australian Steve Allen fired a superb eight-under 62, to assume a one-stroke lead at 11-under 129.  American, Harrison Frazer was placed second at 130, with South Africa's Ernie Els occupying the third place at 131.

Atwal's forgettable Thursday, when he struggled to find the fairway can be credited to nerves. Today, the Kolkata-based golfer was a changed man proving to himself more than to anybody else that he belonged on the PGA Tour. The 31-year-old started on the tenth tee and after a series of pars, suffered setbacks in the form of bogeys on the 15th and 17th. Atwal held his nerve to birdie the 18th. One over on the first tee box the resolute golfer steeled himself, pulled his game together and fired birdies on the third, fifth and one on his closing hole to earn himself a place in the week-end rounds.

"It was one of the most mentally challenging rounds of golf I have played," said the Asian PGA Tour 2003 Order of Merit winner. Yesterday, I struggled a bit but today I hit the ball really well. The early bogeys were unsettling but I was determined to put in my best effort and it paid off. 

"Now I want to finish as high up the leader-board as I can," he concluded.

Allen, enjoying a fully exempt status for the first time in three years on the USPGA Tour, started his round with three straight birdies on the tenth, 11th and 12th.  He went on to birdies the 15th, 18th and seventh, ending his round in style with an eagle on the ninth.

Scores (after 36 holes): 129_Steve Allen (67,62); 130_Harrison Frazer (67,63); 131_Ernie Els (67,64); 132_Luke Donald (66,66); 133_Robert Gomez (67,66), Jesper Parnevik (65,68), Hideto Tanihara (67,66), Pat Bates (68,65), Fred Funk (69,64), Frank Lickliter II (71,62), Jerry Kelly (68,65), Paul Azinger (67,66).

Other important scores: 139_Arjun Atwal (71,68).

Missed cut: 140_Daniel Chopra (67,73).