Chandigarh's Karandeep Kochhar jumps to T2nd in International Series Japan
Chandigarh’s Karandeep Kochhar fired a flawless 6-under 65 to jump to the tied-second position during the second round of the International Series Japan in Chiba on Friday.
The performance not only propelled him to a tied-second (T2nd) at the midway mark but also saw him leap seven positions from his previous T9th spot.
Kochhar’s second successive bogey-free round was punctuated with six birdies as he jumped seven places from his overnight position in the USD 2 million event, just one-shot behind leader Hongtaek Kim of Korea. The round was reflective of his strong start to the season. He is currently placed sixth on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
Indian legend Jeev Milkha Singh, a two-time Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, showed his class on Friday by making his first cut on the Asian Tour since 2024. The 54-year-old, who now plays mainly on senior tours, returned a 69 to finish on the one under par, right at the cutline. On other hand, Gaganjeet Bhullar (73-74) failed in his effort to move ahead.
The competition remains fierce as Korea’s Kim maintains the lead at 11-under, with Kochhar, Japan’s Shugo Imahira and others close behind.
