Randhawa tied-third at Volvo Masters

Jyoti Randhawa shot his second straight round of 67 to climb to tied-third position at the mid-way stage of the US$ 500,000 Volvo Masters of Asia being played at the par-71 Bangkok Golf Club.

Randhawa's tournament tally stands at eight-under 134. The tournament is the season ending event on the 2003 Asian PGA Tour.

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American Ted Purdy continued in the lead with a five-under 66 following close on the heels of his course record breaking opening round 62.

Purdy's tournament aggregate of 14-under 128, was five strokes clear of second placed Austalian Unoh Park's tally of 133.

Arjun Atwal, who created history on Monday, by becoming the first Indian to qualify for the US PGA Tour, shot a two-over 73 to slip to tied-55th place at two-over 144.  He is accompanied at that total by another Indian, Arjun Singh.

Amandeep Johl, meanwhile, shot his second successive round of 69 for the tied-22nd position at 138, while his fellow Chandigarh pro, Harmeet Kahlon was tied-28th at 139.

Atwal's arch rival for the Order of Merit title, China's Zhang Lian Wei shot a 69 to tie-32nd at 140, while Atwal's fellow-US PGA Tour qualifier Daniel Chopra occupied the tied-49th position at 141.

Randhawa started the day in style, with a birdie on his opening hole, and went on to birdie the third an sixth but a bogey on the eighth saw him make the turn at two-under.  Thereafter the 2002 APGA Order of Merit winner birdied the tenth, 12th, 16th and 18th and but for a double bogey on the 13th, would have occupied the sole second position.

"I must control this trend of messing up one hole, which prevents me from getting where I deserve to be," said the 31-year old, who otherwise was happy with his game.

Amandeep Johl, meanwhile, had a simple outward journey with a birdie on the eighth and a bogey on the following hole.  On his back-nine, Johl birdied the 12th, 13th and 17th and dropped his second shot of the day on the 15th for his 69.

Kahlon birdied three holes and bogey one less to finish with a 70, while Delhi's Arjun Singh returned two bogeys more than his two birdies to finish round-two at 73.

Atwal, who currently leads the APGA Tour's Order of Merit with earnings of US$ 282,194, fired birdies on the first, third and fourth, but bogeys on the seventh and ninth preceded by a double bogey on the sixth pushed him against  the wall. He however made up with three more birdies on the 11th, 15th and 17th and looked good for an under-par score before a disastrous four-over on the par-five 18th handed him a card of 73.

Ted Purdy, returned his second straight bogey free card today.  Purdy 's birdies came on the fourth, fifth, sixth, 11th and 12th.

Scores (after 36 holes): 128_Ted Purdy(62,66); 133_Unho Park(67,66); 134_Jason Knutzon(70,64), Lin Keng Chi(65,69), Jyoti Randhawa(67,67), Gary Rusnak(66,68); 135_Chris Williams(72,63), Andrew Marshall(72,63), Mardan Mamat(68,67), Thammanoon Srirot(68,67), Thongchai Jaidee(71,64).

Other Indians in the fray: T-22 138_Amandeep Johl(69,69); T-28th 139_Harmeet Kahlon(69,70); T-55th 144_Arjun Singh(71,73), Arjun Atwal(71,73).