DIGBOI, Nov 11 � Kolkata�s Shankar Das fired a sizzling seven under 65 to establish a four-stroke lead on day two of the IndianOil XtraPremium Masters 2010. Das� total has now moved to nine under 135. Feroz Ali Mollah, another Kolkata golfer, fired 69 to be placed second at five under 139.
The cut was declared at 13 over 157. Fifty professionals made the cut. Local golfer (amateur) Ajay Baisoya also made the cut. He has been sponsored by Digboi Golf Club.
Shankar Das (70-65) came up with some excellent chip-putts to pocket as many as five birdies on his first nine (10th to 18th). He birdied the 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th and 18th.
Shankar, currently 15th on the Rolex Rankings, continued with his sublime chipping form on the second nine as he hit his chip shots from the edge of the green to within a few inches of the pin for birdies on the third and seventh. Shankar closed his round in style when he knocked-in a 12 footer for birdie on the ninth. His lone bogey came on the fifth as a result of a poor drive.
Shankar said, �The best aspect of my game today was my chipping. I made a number of chip-putts from the edge of the green for birdie. I�ve been playing really well in the last one month since I finished second in Mumbai. That performance gave me a lot of confidence. I will now focus on improving my tee shots over the last two rounds so that I can hit maximum fairways and thereby set up more birdie opportunities.�
Former Indian Open champion Feroz Ali Mollah (70-69) carded a 69 to end the day in second position with a total of five under 139. Feroz�s round included five birdies and a double bogey.
Chiragh Kumar, Raju Ali Mollah and Abhishek Jha are in tied third at three under 141 while Mandeo Singh Pathania and Ikramuddin Shah share sixth place at two under 142.
Sudhir Sharma�s 66 was the best score of the day that placed him in tied eighth position along with Pappan, Navtez Singh and Md Zamal Hossain Mollah at one under 143.
