Atwal makes tenth cut in a row

Arjun Atwal found his touch on his second nine as he made his 10th successive cut this year, by shooting a three-under 68 in the second round of the US PGA Tour John Deere Classic at the TPC Course in Silvis, Illinois.

Atwal, one-under for the first round is now four-under 138 for the tournament, and is lying 44th.

Daniel Chopra bogeyed his final hole to miss the cut by one. He shot a par round and ended at two-under after his first 69.

J J Lewis, the 1999 John Deere winner, moved into the lead with a six-under 65, following his first round 64 to take lead at 13-under 129. Shigeki Maruyama of Japan, a three-time winner on US Tour, shares second place with first round leader Hunter Mahan.

Maruyama equaled the best round of the tournament with an 8-under 63. His round included a hole-in-one on the par-3 third hole.

Atwal started on the tenth and had two each of birdies and bogeys to turn at par, and was still outside the cut line. Then he eagled the par-5 second and then found his touch with lovely putts for birdies on fifth and sixth, at which stage he was five-under for the tournament and tied 18th.

But he bogeyed his final hole, the ninth and finished at three-under for the day and four-under for two rounds for tied 44th.

Atwal, a former Asian Tour No. 1, has now made the cut in each of his 10 starts this year. Two good rounds could earn him yet another top finish. His best this year has been a tied second, after losing in the play-off to Phil Mickelson at the BellSouth Classic.