Jeev improves, Ghei tied 9th at Volvo Masters

Jeev Milkha Singh rode on a flawless back-nine to card an improved two-under 70 and rise to tied-41st as Gaurav Ghei (70) continued to the best-placed Indian at tied-ninth after the second round of the Volvo Masters of Asia in Bangkok on Friday.

While Ghei has a total of four-under 140, Jeev languishes in the bottom heap with two-over 146 at the US $750,000 Asian Tour's season-ending event.

Off to a good start with a first-hole birdie, Ghei was back to par after dropping a stroke on the third. The Delhi-pro struck a birdie-brace on the next two holes before a bogey on the par-four ninth left him one-under at the turn.

The back-nine went steady as he hit back-to-back birdies on the 14th and 15th but Ghei couldn't sign off that well, stumbling to a bogey on the last hole of the day.

Jeev was left to rue a horrendous front nine, which started rather well with a birdie on the second but was marred by a double-bogey on the third.

He got his act together in the back nine, picking up birdies on the 10th, 14th and 15th to break par.

Jyoti Randhawa also returned a 70 to have a one-under 143 total after two rounds. The Delhi-pro was placed tied 21st on the leaderboard.

A stroke adrift of Randhawa were SSP Chowrasia and Shiv Kapur, who carded identical 73 to be even-par at the halfway stage. The duo was joined by Gaganjeet Bhullar, whose second successive 72 also left him even-par overall.

Digvijay Singh shared the 55th spot after a poor 73 left him with a total of four-over 148. Amateurs Rashid Khan (78) and Rahul Bakshi (76), who were invited to the tournament after their Faldo series triumph, continued to find the going tough on the big stage.

While Rashid was tied for the 61st spot with a total of six-over 150, Rahul shared the 65th position with eight-over 152.

At the top, Singapore's Lam Chih Bang set the course on fire with a sensational six-under 66 to total nine-under 135 and take the sole lead.

Thai Chapchai Nirat also turned in a 66 but was a couple of strokes behind Bing, along with the Kiwi duo of Mark Brown (67) and Marcus Both (68) and Filipino Antonio Lascuna (67).